


Omega's Gambit

by RaeDMagdon



Series: Omega's Gambit [1]
Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Biting, Blowjobs, Breeding, F/F, First Time, G!P, Knotting, Love Bites, Magic Cock, Marking, Mating, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Omega Verse, Omegaverse, Oral Sex, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Kink, Season 3 Finale, end of the world sex, friendship first
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-18
Updated: 2015-08-24
Packaged: 2018-04-09 21:36:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 31,686
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4365077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RaeDMagdon/pseuds/RaeDMagdon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Asami goes into her heat at a very inconvenient time, she must navigate her shifting feelings for Korra and seize control of her intense desires at the same time. Meanwhile, Korra must remain focused on saving the world instead of allowing herself to be tempted.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my very first Korrasami Omegaverse story! The outline has eight chapters, and two of them will be VERY explicit. It takes place at the end of Season 3, starting with Episode 8, "The Terror Within", and ending with Episode 13, "Venom of the Red Lotus".
> 
> For those of you who don't know, Omegaverse is a funny little AU that developed in the Supernatural fandom. In the Omegaverse, everyone can be classified in one of three groups: Alphas, Betas, and Omegas. Both male and female alphas have cocks (females get them when they're aroused, especially during an omega's heat), and possess the ability to 'knot' (tie themselves together) with their partner upon completion. Betas are basically the switches of this universe. They can mate with alphas and omegas, although they can't change their genitalia. Omegas are the bottoms. Both males and females have the ability to get pregnant, and they go through very intense heats, releasing pheromones that call all the alphas around them so they can find an appropriate mate.
> 
> Alphas might get violent with each other when fighting over a mate, but the omega gets to choose who satisfies their heat. Hurting or pressuring an omega to mate is highly stigmatized. In this particular universe, Korra is an alpha, Asami is an omega, and Mako is a beta, although this is only important in reference to his previous relationships with both of them.

Asami tugged at the neck of her dress, trying to coax a little more air beneath the high collar. Her trusty jacket usually accompanied her everywhere, but with the hot afternoon sun beating down overhead, she had started to regret wearing it. She ran a hand through her hair as she descended the courtyard steps, trying to lift some of the strands sticking uncomfortably to the back of her neck. _If I spend much longer outside, my jacket’s going to end up tied around my waist whether it stretches out the sleeves or not._

A loud shout from the courtyard ahead offered a momentary distraction. She paused at the edge of the bridge and inhaled, smiling fondly as she glimpsed a blur of blue amidst the dust. Apparently, Korra was enjoying her metalbending lesson. Her scent was even stronger than usual, sharp with sweat and determination. Still, there was something almost comforting about it. Asami liked Zaofu, but she had spent almost her entire life in Republic City. It was nice to have something, and someone, familiar around to remind her of home.

She got a better view of the action as Korra sprang away from a rippling wall of earth, using her hands to launch herself into the air. Her feet kicked out, and Asami's smile became a grin as the sharp gesture sent Wing's metal cable lashing back through the air. Even though she had only caught a few seconds of the match, it looked to her like Korra was putting her teacher through his paces.

“Are you all right, Asami?” She stopped and turned at the sound of her name, more than a little embarrassed that Mako had caught her staring. Normally, she could smell him or at least hear him before he managed to sneak up on her, but she had been distracted. On closer inspection, his brow was furrowed even more than usual, and he seemed concerned. “You look… uncomfortable.”

"Uncomfortable?" She shook her head, brushing another lock of hair away from her temple so it wouldn't cling there. "No. I'm fine, promise. I was just watching Korra." Another loud shout interrupted their conversation, but this time, it was clearly unhappy. She and Mako both turned in time to see Bolin dodge a flying chunk of metal. It zoomed harmlessly past his head, shattering the pillar behind him.

"Maybe it's time to call things off," Mako suggested. "We need to get ready for dinner soon anyway." He gave her another long look, as if he wasn't sure whether to believe her or not, but didn't say anything else. Instead, he headed across the bridge.

Asami followed him, shielding her eyes against the glare of the sun glinting off the courtyard's decorative metal plates. Still, she couldn't help squinting in Korra's direction to catch the last few seconds of her sparring match. She was fighting Wing for control of the metal cable, letting it wind harmlessly around an arm or a leg whenever he sent it whipping toward her. Her movements were almost hypnotic, and Asami continued watching the rolling motions of her body until Mako spoke again.

“Whoa! Nice shot, Bolin. But I thought you were supposed to be practicing metal-bending, not earth bending.”

"Yeah," Wei muttered, rubbing the middle of his forehead. "Cheater."

Bolin dropped out of his stance and headed toward them, rubbing his shoulder in embarrassment. “Mako, metal bending is extremely difficult," he said, trying and failing not to pout. "No one gets it right away, if they can get it at all!”

As one, they all turned to watch Korra and Wing finish their match. Asami sucked in a quick breath, trying not to look too awestruck. Korra's abilities were always impressive, but they had never been so visually captivating before. She seemed to float over the ground, and her smile was dazzling as she danced away from one of Wing's missiles. Her body twisted and arched, moving with the same dexterity as the metal cable as it coiled around her waist. A split-second later, it was over. The cable shot back toward her opponent and caught his ankle, toppling him to the ground. She leapt into the air, twirling around in triumph and flexing her arms. “Woohoo! Metal-bending champion.”

“Oh, sure," Bolin muttered. "She’s the Avatar!”

The tension snapped Asami out of her trance. “Guys, it’s time to get cleaned up," she said, struggling to remain focused on Bolin as Korra trotted over with a proud skip in her step. The uncomfortable warmth at the dip of her neck crawled all the way up to her face. She had no more excuses to stare, and she couldn't figure out why her eyes kept wandering in Korra's direction. "Tonight's Opal’s farewell dinner...”

It was the wrong thing to say. Bolin's face fell, and his shoulders slumped in disappointment. “Ugh, and now I gotta say bye to Opal? This is the worst day ever.”

Before Asami could try and reframe the situation in a more positive light, Mako stepped in. "It's all right," he said, clapping Bolin on the back. "Think of it as an opportunity. Opal will get to see you all dressed up."

"Hey, yeah." Bolin's face brightened. "Maybe if I clean up nice enough, she'll have a reason to remember me while she's gone."

"You do know that's our sister you're talking about, right?" Wei complained, folding his arms across his chest. Wing picked himself up off the ground and joined him, shooting an identical frown in Bolin's direction.

"Then your family’s lucky," Korra said. She aimed a friendly punch at Bolin's shoulder, and he perked up a little more. "Bolin's one of the nicest omegas I know. If your sister's interested in him, it only shows she's got great taste."

"Come on," Mako said, glancing back across the bridge. "We should head inside and get ready."

As one, the group followed him away from the training grounds, still talking amongst themselves. Asami hesitated. The chatter was a dull roar in her ears, and she couldn't focus hard enough to separate the words. Only one of the voices lingered inside her head, low and forceful, but bright with laughter. _Korra. Her voice is so..._ She couldn't think of the right word to describe it, but something about the timbre made her overheated skin prickle.

"Asami?" She blinked in surprise at the sound of her name. Korra had stopped and turned to look at her, and the wide grin hadn't faded from her face. "Aren’t you coming with us?"

She tried to form a response, but she couldn't find her words in time. Korra let the others walk on ahead and jogged back toward her. Unfortunately, the sight of her shirt pulling tight across her abdomen didn't help loosen the lump in Asami’s throat. _Why can't I stop staring at her? She's always looked this way, hasn't she? But there's something different. Something..._

Realization hit as soon as Korra came to a stop in front of her. There wasn't anything strange about her friend at all. The only difference was with her. Rising body temperature, racing heart, the strange pull Korra seemed to have over her... She felt like a fool for taking so long to put the pieces together. Her heat had come ahead of schedule, and her body was showing an interest in the last alpha she had expected.

 _Well, perhaps not the last alpha I expected,_ Asami admitted to herself. She had always admired Korra’s appearance, but she had thought it was only for comparison’s sake. Both of them had shown an interest in Mako around the same time, after all. And later, when they had become friends, she had thought the delight she felt at seeing Korra’s smile was simply a result of their close relationship. The flutter in her chest was only because Korra was the Avatar, a spiritual being with powers beyond anyone else’s comprehension. She was a hero who had saved the world twice already, and would probably do so again.

But none of that explained the pounding of her heart, the quickness of her breath, or the heavy ache that dropped right through her stomach to settle between her legs. The curious fullness there coiled tight, tugging at something deep inside her.

“Asami? Hellooo?”

She started and shook herself, gasping a little when she noticed Korra’s eyes peering directly into hers. The soft blue irises seemed to demand something from her. A ridiculous impulse struck, and their locked gaze broke as her attention flicked down to Korra’s lips. Had they always been so full? So close to hers? Water rose in her mouth, and suddenly, the only thing she could think of was how much she wanted to lean in and taste them. “Korra…”

“Oh good, you’re awake,” Korra laughed, giving her a friendly nudge. “I thought I’d lost you to the Spirit World. You looked like you were meditating while standing up or somethi...” Her voice trailed off, and she stopped in the middle of her sentence. Asami could see the exact moment Korra picked up on her scent. Her eyes widened, her nostrils flared, and the smile turned into a glassy look of desire. A primal shudder surged through the muscles in her arms, and Asami had to fight the urge to soothe it with her hands.

They stared at each other for several moments, silent and unmoving.

“Hey! Korra, Asami, are you two coming?”

Bolin’s loud cry from the direction of the bridge broke the tension before either of them could reach out. Korra stepped back, and Asami finally gave up pretending. She let out a deep sigh and removed her jacket, unfastening the belt and slipping her arms free. Once it was off, she looped it around her waist and tied the sleeves together. “Sorry,” she mumbled as she slid off the tie around her wrist, pulling her hair back into a messy ponytail. Korra continued watching, and the heated stare made her flesh burn. “I should… I mean, I need to…”

“Go,” Korra said with a stiff nod. Her voice cracked, and for a moment, Asami was tempted to stay. It wouldn’t take much. She scanned the training grounds on instinct, searching for opportunities. “Or, uh, maybe I should… I’ll just go instead. Wait a minute and go in by yourself so they don’t smell you. I’ll make up an excuse.”

Before she could protest, Korra sprinted off toward Bolin and the others. She didn’t cast a single glance back over her shoulder, and once she was alone, Asami couldn’t decide whether to be upset or relieved. Her mind was a tangled mess of confusion and lust, and although the logical part of her brain knew that this had been the best possible outcome, every inch of her ached with disappointment. She hung her head, folding her arms around herself and shivering as she watched Korra and the rest of her friends disappear up the courtyard steps.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A brief word about how alpha females work in my version of the Omegaverse. Their anatomy can alter (their clit can become a functioning cock) if they are very aroused, especially if an omega they are interested in goes into heat. However, it doesn't always do this. It depends on the alpha's partner, their arousal levels, and what hormonal state they're both in. Since her only prior relationship was with Mako, a male beta, Korra primarily used her female anatomy during her brief relationship with him, although her behavior was still very dominant. At this point, her cock has shown up once or twice before, but she doesn't have much experience with it, and she hasn't quite learned how to deal with the associated complications.

Korra paced back and forth at the foot of her bed, whipping around whenever she stopped short at one of the walls. Her hands bunched into fists, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t calm her racing heart. Asami’s scent still lingered in her nose. The sweet smell was intoxicating, almost thick enough to taste on her tongue as she breathed in...

She grunted and stomped her foot in frustration, sending an angry blast of air at the floor. It ruffled the rug, but bounced harmlessly off the stone beneath. "It's not _fair_ ," she snarled between clenched teeth. "Things were just getting back to normal with the two of us, and..." She sent another gust toward the window, trying desperately to ignore the deep ache in the pit of her stomach. It was clawing her open, pulsing hard enough to travel between her legs. If she wasn't careful, her discomfort would get much worse.

When the windowframe stopped rattling, Korra felt even worse. Instead of continuing to pace, she threw herself onto the bed, tossing her forearm over her eyes and kicking the covers out of the way. "We're friends. _Just_ friends. And - ugh! This is..." She inhaled through her nose, trying keep from shuddering. Every cord of muscle in her body felt strained to the snapping point. She could still see the pink flush at the points of Asami's cheeks, her gleaming-dark hair pulled back to reveal the vulnerable column of her throat.

Korra rolled onto her stomach and buried her face in the pillow, screaming into the fabric. Unfortunately, it only made the scent trapped in her nose stronger. Asami's heat had been calling to her, begging her to reach out, to touch, to leave her mark on that beautiful pale skin. It was like nothing she had ever experienced, and the intensity of her feelings frightened her.

She had sensed other omegas' heats before. In a place as large as Republic City, it was almost impossible to avoid them. There was always someone advertising for a mate during their cycle, but none of them had tormented her this way. Maybe it was because of Mako. Her relationship with the beta had been good at first, and it had consumed all her extra thoughts when she wasn't focused on defeating Amon and Unalaq. But though their connection had blazed hot, it hadn't been stable. Things had fallen to ash as fast as they burned, and she knew he was still struggling to rebuild his friendship with her.

And then there was Asami. Just remembering the way she looked, the way she smelled, was enough to double the pressure inside her. She couldn't have summoned a clear image of Mako's face even if she wanted to. Asami was everything, the only thing she wanted. She rolled onto her side, cupping a hand between her legs and squeezing. Instead of providing relief, it only made the problem worse. The firm bud of her clit twitched, and she whimpered as it started to swell.

 _Great. This is the last thing I need right before a public dinner._ She bit the inside of her cheek, hoping the pain would stop the shift, but it was too late. The stiff point began to extend, and she reluctantly made room for her swiftly growing shaft. Soon, it was straining against the front of her pants. She wanted to move her hand, but couldn't quite bring herself to do it. She was afraid that if she let up even a little, the need would be unbearable.

Groaning with frustration, she tried to think of something, anything to distract herself from the throbbing ache. Since her only previous relationship had been with a male beta, she wasn't used to her altered anatomy. It had made a few appearances before, but the desire she felt now completely eclipsed all her previous experiences, and Asami wasn't even anywhere nearby.

 _Is it just because she's an omega in heat, or is it something else? Something more?_ The thought of what that 'more' might be was terrifying. As the Avatar, she didn't have many people she could trust, and Asami was probably her closest friend in the entire world. She wasn't willing to ruin yet another precious relationship over a fleeting sexual attraction.

After several silent minutes, she finally found the willpower to sit up. She removed her hand, trying not to flinch as she did so, and sighed as she stared at the front of her pants. Never before had she been so grateful for the coverage her skirt offered. She doubted her problem would be going away anytime soon, and she only had a few minutes left before dinner.

Korra took in another deep breath and stood up, checking to make sure the outline wasn't too obvious. Unfortunately, the bulge required a few uncomfortable adjustments. She felt a sudden stab of sympathy for all the men she knew. She had no idea how they dealt with this every day. At least for female alphas, the problem disappeared once they were satisfied. Briefly, she considered taking care of it on her own, but dismissed the thought as soon as it popped into her head. _I can't. That would make it real. If it stays in my head, maybe I can forget. Maybe we can keep being friends, and everything will go back to normal._

That was what she kept telling herself as she ducked into the washroom and splashed a handful of cold water on her face. _Everything will go back to normal. Everything will go back to normal. Everything will..._ But the more she insisted, the more she began to doubt. Asami's heat would only last a few more days at most, but part of her knew that nothing would ever be normal between them again, no matter how much she wanted it to be.

Finally, she couldn't stall any longer. She checked to make sure her discomfort wouldn't be obvious to anyone else and left the safety of her room, heading for the dining room. On the way, she pleaded to whatever powers were listening that Asami had done something to suppress her symptoms. Hopefully she had used the time between their last conversation and dinner to head for the kitchen and drink some herbal tea. That would help with the smell, at least.

Eventually, she arrived at the dining room. Before she even stepped through the door, Asami's scent hit her full force. She almost staggered backwards under its power, clutching the doorframe to support her shaking knees. She didn't have to scan the room to tell where Asami had chosen to sit. She was on the far side of the table, with Varrick on her left and an empty chair on her right. Korra's stomach sank when she saw that everyone else had already taken their places. There were no other open seats, and she was obviously expected to take the last remaining space.

She let go of the doorframe and entered the room as casually as possible, praying that no one else had noticed her overreaction. If any of the others were aware of Asami's heat or its effect on her, they were too polite to say so. Mako's worried gaze met hers on the way in, and she couldn't help returning the look with a sharp glare of warning. Even though he hadn't done anything wrong, and was seated as far away from Asami as physically possible, his presence irritated her. She was acutely aware of the fact that her friend and former lover was now her competition, and her instincts wouldn't allow her to let him forget it.

As she drew closer, she couldn't keep her eyes from their real target. She tried to avoid staring, but she couldn't help it. Asami had captured her full attention. She had left her jacket behind, and her wavy hair was still piled into a messy ponytail behind her head. Those two small changes put her throat and shoulders on prominent display, and as Korra stared, she imagined she could see Asami's heartbeat pounding just above her collarbone. Her tongue grew thick in her mouth, and the shaft of her cock pulsed with need. She wanted to taste the soft sheen of sweat that shimmered across Asami's flushed skin, to find out how far down it went.

"Korra!" Asami's beaming smile slammed into her like a punch to the gut. She couldn't breathe, but her chest shook anyway. "I saved you a seat."

 _'I saved you a seat.'_ Those words looped through Korra's head over and over again as she returned Asami's smile with a sheepish one of her own. _She saved me a seat. Me. Asami wants to sit next to me!_ That slight bit of encouragement was all the fuel her mind needed. It churned out image after image of what the neckline of Asami's dress would look like pushed down to show even more of her perfect porcelain skin, or rucked up around her hips to reveal her long, endless legs...

She finally summoned enough coordination to sit down instead of standing behind her chair like an idiot, but getting comfortable was a challenge all its own. Her erection was even more obvious while seated, but thankfully, the table provided some cover. She crossed her legs despite how uncomfortable it was, hoping her skirt would hide the rest. Being near Asami again had only made it worse. Her friend was nursing a steaming cup of herbal tea along with her meal, but it didn't seem to being doing much good. Every movement she made still screamed sex, and her scent hadn't dulled even a little.

When Korra realized she was drooling over the way Asami's hands were wrapped around the cup, she forced herself to look away. Everyone else was already eating, so she did her best to blend in, but everything she put in her mouth was bland and flavorless. She wasn't hungry for food no matter how delicious it was.

Just when she was about to give up and push her plate away in despair, Varrick spoke up and offered a distraction. "Check out my latest invention: an airbender finder!" He leaned over in his chair, and Korra resisted the temptation to growl as he shifted into Asami's personal space. She wasn't sure whether he was clueless, or whether he was doing it on purpose to try and stake some kind of claim.

 _Oh, who am I kidding? It's Varrick. He might be a beta, but he's not interested, just clueless._ She sighed and forced herself to be polite. "Wait, that thing can find airbenders?" she asked, studying the small golden box in Varrick's hands. It looked almost like a tiny radio, although it had a moveable needle on the front instead of speakers.

Before Varrick could offer an explanation, Asami took the box from him and pointed it at her. Korra froze, caught somewhere between terror and desire. She couldn't have cared less about Varrick's invention, but it felt as though Asami's eyes were about to burn right through her. For a moment, the rest of the room faded out. Asami's face was so close to hers, close enough to lean in and...

"Uh, I think it's broken." Asami's full lips wrapped around every syllable as she spoke, and Korra bit down on the inside of her cheek to stifle a groan.

_Her voice. Oh no, her voice... How am I supposed to get through the next few days if it sounds like that even when she's saying completely normal things?_

"It's not broken!" Varrick snatched the airbender-finder back, aiming a glare at both of them and hunching protectively over his invention. "She needs to airbend into it. How else do you expect the thing to work?"

Korra was still too dumbstruck to respond, but she was saved from the conversation, and from further embarrassment, when Suyin stood at the head of the table and rapped against her glass. "Everyone? If I could have your attention, please..."

Although she tried her best to listen to the toast, Korra couldn't pick out more than a few words at a time. Even the back of Asami's head commanded her full attention. She wanted to snap the tie holding back Asami's silky hair, run her fingers through it, use it to draw her close for a long, deep kiss that swallowed both of their screams. Asami's voice echoed in her head again, but this time, it only said her name. _'Korra... Korra!'_

"Korra?" She gasped when she realized that Asami was staring at her again. "Korra, are you okay?"

Even though speaking was a monumental struggle, she managed to croak out an answer. "Y-yeah. Uh-huh, I'm okay." Inwardly, her heart sank. _No, I'm not. I'm really, really not._


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for NSFW content! This is a good ol' fashioned jack-off scene. xD Next chapter is Asami's POV again.

Unfortunately, Korra's suffering continued long after dinner ended. Once she choked down the tasteless food on her plate, she followed everyone else to bid Opal her final farewells. Her faint hope that Asami's maddening scent would fade in the breeze was dashed as soon as they stepped outside. If anything, the sweet smell was even stronger in the fresh evening air, and watching her swaying hips was absolute torture. Korra tried to avoid Asami as best she could in the small crowd, even going so far as to walk beside Mako, but she always found herself drifting in the wrong—or maybe the right—direction. That, or Asami was deliberately standing closer to her than usual. The thought sent a tingling thrill through her even though she wasn't certain.

She managed to regain enough focus to give Opal a proper embrace, but even that was difficult. She had to keep her lower body as far away as possible, and ended up giving her new friend an awkward sort of side-hug instead. Once they pulled apart, she shuffled straight to the back of the group, praying her pants would conceal her embarrassment. She hadn't known it was possible to sustain an erection for so long, and she was beginning to doubt if it would ever leave.

While everyone else waved goodbye, she crept away as quietly as possible, slinking back toward her rooms. _I just need a few minutes to myself. Hopefully a cold shower will take care of this before I do something even stupider._ Still, she couldn't resist stealing a few longing glances over her shoulder on the way. Once, she saw Asami looking back, her raven hair gleaming in the blazing orange sunset. That split second of eye contact was enough to make her skin burn, and the already-hard shaft of her cock strained desperately against the front of her pants.

It took an effort of willpower not to jog back and drag Asami along with her, but she resisted temptation, hurrying across the courtyard as fast as she could in her awkward state. Thankfully, her room was only a short distance away. She slammed the door behind her, slumping against it and breathing a heavy sigh of relief as soon as she was alone. "Spirits, I'm a mess," she groaned. Even though she had barely spoken at all during dinner, her voice was hoarse with frustration and pent-up desire. "It shouldn't be like this. No one else's heat has ever been this hard to ignore..."

Her heart began to thud even harder as she considered why that might be. Asami was stunning to look at, but so were many other people in Republic City. Mako was handsome too, in his own way, and he had never made her burn like this. Her admiration for Asami couldn't explain the strength of her reaction either. _Even when we were both chasing after Mako, she was so kind, so genuine, so funny and smart and..._

She let out a low whimper at the unhappy discovery that her attraction wasn't just physical. _Why didn't I notice before? Was it because I didn't want to see? Because I couldn't let myself consider her as anything more than a friend?_ But along with the private admission that her feelings ran deeper than lust came sobering realization. _I can't tell her. When Mako and I broke up, it almost ruined Team Avatar. It hurt so much to lose him as a friend. If I lose her too, it might just break me._

Still reeling, she staggered over to her bed and flopped on top of the covers, sitting up only long enough to tear off her shirt. She almost felt like she was in heat herself with the way her flesh was searing. Sweat evaporated from her skin as soon as she started stripping, and the slight coolness sent a pleasant shiver down her spine. Next came her pants, although it was a bit awkward to kick them off. She couldn't avoid grazing the bulge at the front as she loosened the drawstring, and she bit her lip to stifle a moan.

"Well, it looks like you're not going away," she muttered, glaring at the thick shaft between her legs. It pointed up proudly at her stomach, and a vein along the side was already throbbing. The blunt head was swollen with need, and a glistening bead of wetness clung to the divot at the very tip. Pressure pulsed visibly along its length, and her fingers twitched on top of the covers.

_I could just..._

"No," she said to the empty room, hoping that saying the word aloud would strengthen her resolve.

_I could just take care of it really fast. It's already lasted through dinner. It's not going anywhere anytime soon unless I do something about it._

"I can't..." Her lips started to form objections, but her hand began crawling down her stomach, tracing nervous lines back and forth between her hipbones.

_I can. Asami wouldn't have to know. I just need a little relief. Maybe then things can go back to normal and I can survive the next few days without screwing things up._

It was a less than plausible excuse, but she was far too desperate to care. The fullness pounding along her cock was too painful to ignore. She gave in and wrapped her fingers around herself, groaning with relief at the first touch. This wasn't what she wanted, but it was what her body needed. If one orgasm could help her withstand the rest of Asami's heat, any embarrassment she felt about the images running through her head would be worth it. She picked up a slow stroking motion, searching for the speed that felt best.

At first, she tried to keep her mind safe and blank. She focused on the physical sensations of pleasure, stubbornly refusing to let any images of Asami linger. But the faster she pumped her fist, the harder it was to maintain control. Asami's scent was still trapped in her nose. Asami's smile shone in her memory every time she closed her eyes. Asami, with her sweet voice and soft red lips and gentle hands...

Korra stopped what she was doing and forced her eyes open. _No. Think of something else. Anything else. Anyone else._ She tried picturing a nameless fantasy lover, Zaofu's cute Captain of the Guard, and even Mako as a last resort, but nothing helped. Fighting not to think about Asami only made her fantasies more insistent. _She looked so beautiful at dinner tonight. The way she spoke, the way she moved, the way she looked at me..._ A powerful shudder raced along her shaft, and Korra whimpered as it swelled even further in her hand. The wetness pearled at the very tip welled over, sliding over the blunt head and making it glisten.

She didn't have many other options. Her body wanted Asami, and it didn't seem to care how she felt about it. She started pumping again, and this time, she gave up trying to suppress her desires. She latched on to Asami's voice, remembering the way it had wrapped around her name. _'Korra...'_ She wanted to hear Asami say her name again. Wanted to hear it whispered against her ear, to hear it gasped as her fingers dug into those soft round hips, to hear it screamed as she drove forward, and...

The fantasy rushed on without her permission. She closed her eyes and tightened her grip, trying to imitate the warmth and flutter of muscle. She hadn't gotten the chance to use her cock for penetration before, but the idea wouldn't leave her. She started thrusting up, grinding into her hand every time her fist reached the bottom of her shaft. The extra bit of skin contact helped her imagine that Asami was over her, wrapped around her, taking her in...

More wetness streamed over her fingers at the mental image, and the base of her length began to swell with the start of a knot. If she hadn't been so close, the thought might have startled her enough to make her stop. During her previous limited experiences with her altered anatomy, nothing had aroused her enough to cause one. But in her mind, Asami was bucking above her, hair slipping out of its tie and cascading over her shoulders, breasts swaying with each smooth roll of her hips. _Oh, Spirits, I want... I need to be inside her. Need to fill her. Need... her..._

All the pressure inside her suddenly became too much. Her length started to throb, and she squeezed the tense knot at the bottom on instinct. It was almost like Asami was contracting around her, holding her in place, rippling and pulling so that she would... A flood of heat rushed along her shaft, bursting from the aching tip in powerful spurts. The first jet took her by surprise, splashing against the tense muscles of her abdomen, but she couldn't stop. Pulse after pulse of come shot onto her stomach and spilled over her hand. She barely noticed the mess. Instead, she imagined the warmth running over her was all Asami. Asami's wetness, Asami's release, Asami's pleasure. Pleasure she had given.

A fierce stab of desire sliced through her lower belly as she surrendered to the fantasy. Her cock twitched in the tight seal of her hand, shooting harsh streams as her knot strained to fill her fist. But in her mind, she was buried to the hilt inside Asami, emptying herself into tight, shivering silk and holding her pale shoulder in a bruising bite. Her teeth snapped shut, but there was no flesh to mark. No welcoming warmth around her. And as the vivid dream she had spun fell apart, all that remained was the sticky mess all over her lower body and a profound sense of disappointment.

She pulled her dripping hand away and flopped back onto the bed, unwilling to look between her legs. The aching fullness along her shaft was gone, but the hollow emptiness in her chest seemed even bigger than before. As physically pleasurable as it had been, masturbation was a poor substitute for what she wanted. Not that she even knew what she wanted.

She remained flat on her back for several minutes, eyes closed, trying not to think. The meditation techniques Tenzin had instilled in her were apparently good for something. After a while, she felt strong enough to sit up. Luckily, most of the mess was on her instead of the covers, and her cock had finally softened. The base was still swollen, but without Asami's muscles wrapped around her, the knot wouldn't stay hard for long.

She carefully extracted herself from the bed and headed for the washroom, finally ready to take that cold shower. Once she was standing under the spray, she scoured herself as hard as she could bear, ashamed of what she had allowed herself to do. With the edge taken off her lust, she felt more conflicted than ever. _Do I just want to fuck her, or do I want her to be my mate?  If sex is all I want, why do I feel so terrible?_

Once she was clean again, she hopped out of the shower and tied a towel around her waist, heading back into the bedroom. The sun had almost set, and only a faint sliver of pink filtered through the window. She sighed with longing, trying not to remember how gorgeous Asami had looked in the fading light. Apparently, her desires weren't going to vanish just because she had taken care of herself. If they didn't leave by the time Asami's heat was over, she wasn't sure what she would do.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I tried to re-write the action of this chapter with Asami saving Korra, but it just didn't work. So we'll have to save BAMF Asami for when she saves Korra from the Red Lotus later. (But then gets captured by the Earth kingdom. And tied up on a blimp. Which will also be fun.)

Asami whimpered in agony, curling in on herself and clamping a hand between her slick, tense thighs. The past several hours had been among the most frustrating of her life. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't find relief. A hollow ache screamed in her abdomen, and she had never felt such all-consuming emptiness. She had already rubbed the stiff bud of her clit raw, but her inner muscles continued to pulse in search of more, and satisfaction hovered out of reach.

She normally didn't have this much trouble handling her heats. Her own hand and some herbal tea were usually enough to make her desires bearable. When that didn't work, it wasn't hard to find a willing alpha or beta to take care of the problem. Several of her father's business associates had sons and daughters around her age, and she had partnered with a few of them on her worst days. Mako had taken care of her adequately enough during her last cycle, but the discomfort she had felt then was nothing compared with this.

Another sharp pang of need rippled through her stomach, and she blinked back tears, sliding two fingers inside. The fullness was double-edged. She was already sore from penetrating herself, but being empty was worse. She gave a few quick thrusts of her wrist, but gave up before she could get too carried away. Deep down, she knew her own hand would never be enough, no matter how many times she came. Her body was calling for a proper mate, and whenever she closed her eyes, only one face floated to the front of her mind.

"Korra…" The name tasted so good on her tongue. Felt so right when she wrapped her lips around it. She couldn't think about anything or anyone else, and had long since given up trying. Images of Korra's hard, muscular body, gleaming with sweat as she rolled away from the lashing metal cables, had seared themselves into her mind. _How would it feel to have all that power moving on top of me? Inside of me?_

At the word 'inside', her inner muscles clenched and fluttered around her fingers. Her front wall began to swell with need, and she tossed her head to the side, burying her face in the nearest pillow and screaming until her throat burned. She wished she hadn't snuck a single glance under the table at dinner. The outline of Korra's erection had been painfully obvious even beneath her loose pants. It had taken all her willpower not to reach across the small space between them and run her hand over the thick bulge.

 _It's only a physical reaction,_ she told herself for what felt like the hundredth time. _She can't help it. The same thing happened to Mako when he passed me in the hall, and both of the twins. Just because my scent caught Korra's attention doesn't mean she wants to mate with me._

Still, some greedy part of her hoped. If Korra had said a single word of interest, made her intentions clear in any way other than by staring at her with those pleading blue eyes, she wouldn't have hesitated. But even in the midst of the worst heat of her entire life, she was unwilling to do anything that might upset her friend. If Korra wanted her, she would have to say so. Until then, all she could do was suffer by herself. With her heart fixed so intently on the one alpha she couldn't have, she couldn't even imagine inviting anyone else into her bed.

Before she could decide whether to continue touching herself or pull her hand away, loud shouts filtered in through the window. Asami sat up in surprise, wiping her hand on the sheets and turning to look. She couldn’t see much, and the voices were indistinct, but the other sounds weren’t. Loud rumbles shook the courtyard outside, and the smell of fire seeped into her room, burning in her nose.

The commotion was enough to make her forget her lust. She hopped to her feet, rushing to find her nightgown. Her hands trembled as she put it on, but she did her best to hurry. If Korra was in danger…

_Korra. Why did my mind immediately jump to her? She’s the Avatar. I shouldn’t need to worry._

But she was worried, and that worry made her hasten her steps as she flew out into the corridor and headed for the front door. The sight that greeted her when she burst into the courtyard was even worse than she had feared. Her stomach lurched as she watched Mako and Bolin fly backwards on a bright plume of flame and dust. The columns around them shuddered, and it was several moments before she could make out whether they were all right. She rushed toward them, kneeling in the middle of the rubble. “What happened?”

Mako was the first to sit up. He barely spared a glance at her, turning sharply toward the worst of the fray. “We can’t let them take her!”

“Take her?” Asami’s heart nearly stopped. A shudder of dread coursed through her, and her overheated skin was suddenly drenched in a cold sweat. _Korra. He means Korra!_ She whirled in the same direction, and a wave of relief crashed over her when she saw Suyin’s guards lifting large metal panels from the ground. Through the darkness, she could just glimpse several shadowy figures inside. One of them was sprawled on the ground, and Asami recognized Korra instantly. She could pick up the alpha’s familiar scent even through the fire.  “I don’t think they’re going to get far. The guards have them trapped...”

The biting smell grew worse, and clogging the air as the ground in the middle of the courtyard began to bubble. All of the earth melted, splitting and cracking as a pool of red-hot lava spread around the five trapped figures. “Korra!” Asami leapt to her feet, rushing forward on instinct. She didn’t care about the boiling lava, the boulders flying in every direction, or the fact that she was only wearing her nightgown. She wasn’t about these people take her friend, her alpha, her...

“Asami, wait!” A rough hand dragged her back, and she found herself being hauled behind a makeshift barricade. She whipped around to see Mako clutching her shoulder. He relaxed his grip in apology, but his serious expression never wavered. “We can’t rush them like that. We have to…”

“Shut up,” she snarled, jerking out of his grip. “She needs me. I have to…”

The arrival of Lin and Suyin prevented her from pushing past him to try and find a way across the lava pit. “How did they get in here?” Lin barked, crouching beside her and peeking over the barricade.

Suyin’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t know, but we’re not letting them escape.”

Surrounded by so many people, there was no way Asami could leave to join the guards. She watched helplessly as they used the remaining metal panels to try and reach the lone island of sand amidst the sea of lava. Another explosion rocked the courtyard, and she let out a cry of anguish as the bridge collapsed. “We have to cross that moat,” she sobbed, her voice cracking around the painful lump in her throat. “Korra’s _out there_. We have to…”

“We don’t need to cross it.” Suyin’s calm voice left no room for questioning, but it did little to soothe the sick, empty pit that had opened in Asami’s stomach. “Lin and I can drop in over the dome on cables.”

“That’s a great idea,” Lin said, “except…” Another explosion rocked the courtyard, and all of them ducked back behind the barricade. “We’ll get blown up the second that third-eyed freak sees us.”

Asami had no idea what Lin was talking about. She hadn’t even bothered casing the enemies. The tactics and logic she usually relied on had devolved into a fierce, primal rage. All she cared about, all she knew, was that Korra had been taken. _Her_ Korra. She clenched her bare hands into fists, cursing the fact that she hadn’t thought to bring her glove. An electric shock could easily put someone down no matter what kind of bender they were.

“She’s a combustion bender,” Suyin explained. “If we can stun her, her powers will be knocked out temporarily.”

Mako seemed to brighten. “Bolin can land a shot,” he said, clapping the omega on the shoulder.

Bolin’s eyes widened with surprise. “I can?”

“You have to take her out right before we drop down,” Suyin said. “Hopefully, it will buy us enough time to grab Korra and get out of there.”

Asami blinked the red haze from her eyes. Only one word of the entire conversation remained stuck in her head. _Korra, Korra, Korra…_ She snarled and slammed her hands against the metal barrier, ignoring the shockwaves of pain that travelled through her arms. Everyone turned to look at her, startled by the violent motion, but she didn’t care. “Bolin, you have to do this. If you can’t keep the combustion bender distracted, I will.”

Bolin gaped at her with a panicked expression. “Asami, you can’t. You aren’t even wearing clothes!”

“Then take her out. Korra needs us!” _Korra needs me._

At last, Bolin nodded his head in silent acceptance. “All right. It’s Bolin time. I can do this!”

The next two minutes were agony. Asami remained crouched behind the metal barrier, shaking with fury while Lin and Suyin headed for the top of the dome. Mako and Bolin were throwing as much fire and earth as they could summon at Korra’s abductors, but they didn’t seem to be making a dent. Korra was in danger, just beyond her reach, and she couldn’t do anything to help. Never before had she felt so angry, or so incredibly weak and broken.

At last, a sharp cry broke through the rumbling all around them. Asami jerked her head up just in time to see a tall, dark haired woman jerk back in surprise and the sky above the island pop with bright, burning globes of fire. But just behind the searing circles of light, she made out two dark figures flying up into the air on cables. She couldn’t be sure, but she thought one of them was carrying something over their shoulders. _Please let that be Korra. Spirits,_ please _let that be Korra in Lin’s arms..._

“Ha!” Mako cried out in triumph beside her, flinging an arm around Bolin’s shoulder. “Nice job, little bro!”

If Bolin responded, Asami didn’t hear it. She grabbed the radio Mako had abandoned with trembling hands and jammed her thumb into the call button. “Lin? Lin, do you copy? Is Korra safe? Do you have her?”

At first, there was no answer. The bottom dropped out of her gut, and her throbbing heart began to crumble in her chest. Finally, just when she was about to leap from behind the barriers and join the guards converging on the island, clothes or no clothes, the radio crackled to life. “We copy,” Lin’s clipped voice said over the connection. “The Avatar is safe. Repeat, the Avatar is safe.”

Asami finally allowed the tears stinging in her eyes to stream down her face. Her chest heaved with ugly sobs, but all she felt was relief. _Korra is safe. My alpha is safe._ A comforting hand settled between her shoulderblades, but she jerked away from the touch, whirling around to see Mako staring at her with concern. “Asami, did they get Korra? What did Lin say? Wait, are you okay?”

Her thoughts were too scattered to put into words, and she couldn’t possibly form a response to any of Mako’s questions. Instead, she simply nodded her head yes, swiping at her tears and clambering back to her feet. She didn’t care if any of the Red Lotus members who had tried to abduct Korra were still around. She needed to find Lin and Suyin as quickly as possible and confirm for herself that Korra was going to be all right.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this chapter is a bit transition-y, but I had to connect Chapter 4 to Chapter 6. Next time, y'all get your first taste of actual explicit smut in this piece!!! :D It's already written, so it's definitely coming out tomorrow morning!
> 
> Also, a side note: Omegas are usually thought of as submissive, but put her alpha in danger, and she can be far more ferocious than anyone else of any rank. That's why Mako doesn't want to mess with Asami even though he's a beta.

Asami sighed as she flipped through the pages of yet another empty book. The entire day had been one frustration on top of another. Korra was safe, for which she was incredibly thankful, but none of them knew for how long. Their only real lead was weak to say the least. And even though she knew she needed to focus on proving that Aiwei had helped the intruders enter Zaofu, she couldn't keep her mind on her task no matter how hard she tried.

She was exhausted, irritable, and aroused all at once. She had spent the entire night in Suyin's study as Korra recovered from the Shirshu toxins, growling at anyone who came too close without a good reason. Even Mako had been wise enough to stay well back despite the lure of her heat and his concern for Korra. This morning, she had paced like a restless animal while Korra questioned the guards with Aiwei and the Beifong sisters, trying to melt the wall between them through sheer force of will. Even being a room away from Korra was unbearable. And through it all, her heat had gotten worse. She didn't understand why, but the attempts to kidnap Korra had only made her desire fiercer.

She slammed the book shut, lifting a hand to her forehead. The muscles there were painfully tight, and she pinched them roughly with her fingertips, trying to work out the wrinkles. It had the added benefit of covering her eyes. Every inch of her throbbed whenever she looked in Korra's direction, and she couldn't seem to help herself. She hadn't just been stealing glances. Her stares were fixed, intense, and unbreaking. Once again, she was unable to resist. Instead of moving on to the next shelf, her attention jumped back to Korra. She didn't have to search at all. The alpha's scent was strong enough to broadcast her every movement. It filled her head with the red haze of desire every time she inhaled.

Korra stiffened under her gaze almost immediately. A visible shudder coursed through the broad muscles in her back, and when she turned, Asami forgot how to breathe. _Why is it that every time I look at her, I forget how handsome she is? That jaw, those strong arms, the muscles shifting under her shirt..._ She couldn't help herself. Her eyes drifted further down, locking on the large swell at the front of Korra's pants. The thick bulge was so prominent that the rest of her loose outfit did little to hide it. She could almost make out its shape underneath the fabric, could easily imagine how that firmness would feel cupped in her palm...

She shook herself before the daydream could take hold any further. _Stop it. Korra's in danger and you're not thinking straight. There isn't time for this._ But the words sounded weak even in her own head. She ran her tongue over her lower lip, tugging it back with her teeth. Biting down only sent another throb of heat between her legs. The fabric of her underwear was soaked in moments, and the flood didn't stop until she ripped her eyes away from Korra and forced herself to continue searching the room.

Thankfully, Mako offered a distraction. "Hey," he called out, motioning them over. Korra started toward him, but Asami remained behind, choosing to stay by the window. If she went with Korra, she knew she would be tempted to brush against the alpha's firm body on the way. "Look. I think this bookshelf slides open."

"What do you think is down there?" Korra asked, bending forward to examine the secret passage. Asami swallowed a whimper. Staring at the outline of Korra's cock was bad enough, but somehow, the swell of her ass was worse. She took in a shuddering breath through her nose, trying not to imagine how those muscles would feel flexing under her hands in mid-thrust...

"Could be a storage cellar," Bolin pointed out.

Mako shook his head. "Or it could be how Zaheer got in and out."

She ripped her eyes away from Korra and Mako as they stood next to each other. Despite her heat, which should have made her receptive to his presence, Mako was grating on her nerves through no fault of his own. Her body had chosen Korra for this cycle, and everyone else who paid her any attention was an annoyance at best. She looked out the window instead, breathing heavily and trying to calm her racing heart.

That was when she saw Aiwei walking up the path toward the house. His stride was determined, and her desire faded in the wake of fear. "Aiwei's coming back. Quick!"

Korra, Mako, and Bolin hurried away from the secret tunnel, but it was too late. Aiwei burst in through the front door, and Asami couldn’t help but notice the way his eyes darted toward the book case. Korra and the others had managed to close it most of the way, but a small crack remained. “What are you doing in my house?” he snapped, glaring at the three of them instead. “You are trespassing on the property of one of the highest ranked officials in the city. You'd better have a good explanation."

"We do, we do!” Bolin protested. Asami took the opportunity to subtly position herself between Aiwei and Korra. If he was the traitor, there was no way she was going to let him anywhere near her alpha. “We actually knocked on your front door, and we thought we heard you say, 'Come in! I'm in the bathroom!' Ugh, I don't even know why I'm saying that. You know I'm lying. And you don't even sound like that."

Korra put a hand on Bolin’s shoulder, silencing him with the unspoken gesture. "We came here because things weren't adding up, and we thought you might have some answers."

Aiwei’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Sit. If you want to talk, let's talk over some tea."

While he prepared the kettle, the four of them headed for the open seats in the middle of the room. Korra chose the couch, but when Mako moved to sit beside her, Asami gave a low growl and stepped into his personal space. Mako seemed surprised at first, but a flash of her teeth made him more pliable than usual. He backed away slowly and took one of the chairs instead, unwilling to challenge her. Even omegas could be dangerous and aggressive in the midst of their heats, especially when it came to their mates.

That gave Asami pause. _Am I already thinking of her as my mate? Should I? I know I care for her, know I want to protect her, but the two of us haven’t even..._

"So, what is not adding up, exactly?” Aiwei asked, returning with four steaming cups. Asami took her rightful place beside Korra on the couch, instinctively reaching out to rub her thigh. The firm muscle tensed beneath her hand, but Korra made no move to pull away. Neither of them attempted to drink the tea Aiwei had offered them. “Hong Li was clearly lying, and we found evidence in his apartment."

"But don't you think it's weird how young he is?” Mako asked. “How did he ever get mixed up with this group?"

"Perhaps through a relative, or maybe he was bribed. We will find out those answers in time. But if it wasn't him, who do you think it was?"

No one else answered, and eventually, Asami decided to break the awkward silence. "We don't know."

Aiwei turned away from the couch, facing the wall instead. His eyes ran along the bookshelf Bolin had been investigating, and Asami felt Korra shift beside her, preparing to leap up. Even though it was a completely inappropriate time, her body responded. Her face flushed, and a shiver coursed down her spine.

"You don't think I had something to do with this, do you?" Aiwei asked, picking up one of the small decorative jars on the wall.

Asami and Korra shared a silent glance, communicating without words. _He knows._

“We're just looking for answers,” Korra said, trying to sound as neutral as possible. She stood, and Asami followed her lead, clenching her hands into fists. This time, she wasn’t standing before the enemy in her nightgown. She would use every volt of electricity in her glove and every bit of strength in her body to defend Korra if Aiwei decided to attack.

"And you think you've found something, don't you?" Aiwei set the jar back on the shelf, but he didn’t turn around. "You have _no idea_ what is coming for you, Avatar."

Before Asami could react, a loud screech filled the room. Metal paneling shot up from the floor, separating the room in half and blocking the path to Aiwei. The roar of rushing air and the scent of smoke burst to life around her as Korra and Mako tried to blast the metal wall out of the way, but it barely made a dent. She clenched fists and huffed in frustration, feeling useless yet again.

It didn’t take long for Korra to realize that they weren’t getting anywhere. She bent her knees, adopting a firmer stance as she tried to bend the metal itself.

Mako stopped his attacks, but he remained stiff with impatience. "Come on, he's getting away!"

Asami was gratified when she didn’t have to reprimand him. Korra whipped around, bristling with anger. "I'm still a little new at this, so back off!" she barked, leaving no room for a challenge. Mako immediately backed down. He bent his head ever so slightly, and his eyes flicked down in submission.

Once Mako had been dealt with, Korra took a deep breath and tried again. This time, the metal began to ripple and bend, and with a few swift punches and a loud, groaning tear, a jagged hole appeared in the middle of the wall. Korra leapt through first, but Asami was right on her heels, determined to keep up. _This isn’t going to be a repeat of last night. Alpha or not, I won’t let Korra face her enemies alone. Not when I can help._

She cleared the stairs at a sprint until Korra came to an abrupt halt half-way down. It took a neat twist to prevent a collision, but she managed at the last moment. “Korra, what are you...” she began, but she stopped when she saw the look on Korra’s face. Fear had taken over, and her eyes flashed white.

“Bomb!” someone above them shouted. “Everyone down!”

She tried to move, but Korra was faster. Asami felt herself being yanked back, and fire exploded around them before she could get her footing. The entire stairwell shook, and shrieking gusts of air buffeted her from all sides. Through the chaos, she latched hold of something soft with her hands, clinging tight. _Korra. Her shirt. I can’t let her go-_


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aw man, you guys are gonna kill meeeeeeee. >_> The smut takes up two chapters instead of one. And no, this is not the climax (so to speak, forgive the pun) of the story. It's a good thing I've already written Chapter 7 as well and am holding it in reserve. ;D
> 
> A brief note: I'm experimenting with something I've seen in a few other Omegaverse fics, tweaked to my tastes. In this version of the Omegaverse, alphas can go into something called a rut. Basically, if they've got a willing omega beneath them full of pheromones, their control snaps and they become hip-pumping sex machines, reacting totally on instinct. It's a primal, animalistic state usually triggered by their partner.
> 
> ... Okay, it sounds stupid when I try to describe it. Just read the damn story and I promise it will make sense. xD

Korra looked down at her wrinkled shirt, searching for the imprints of Asami’s hands in the fabric. She knew she wouldn’t find them, but she couldn’t stop hoping. It had been an entire day since Asami had clung to her, both trying to protect her and seeking protection as the world around them exploded. Only her Avatar State had saved them from turning to dust along with the wall. But even more than the blast, Asami’s touch had shaken her. The desperation, the unspoken feelings behind it, were so intense that the two of them hadn’t dared to risk even the slightest contact since.

The call of Asami’s heat complicated everything. Korra wouldn’t have thought twice about touching Asami or letting Asami touch her otherwise. But the omega’s scent made everything different, and Korra couldn’t go more than a few seconds without imagining what it would be like to kiss her. To grab her soft hair. To claim those perfect rosebud lips and trap those pale, slender wrists in her hands as their hips collided.

She had thought about it during her shouting match with Lin. Thought about it when Suyin slipped her the key to the jeep. Thought about it some more as they snuck off into the night, hot on Aiwei’s trail. She didn’t even have Mako and Bolin to act as a buffer anymore. They had gone into the city to look for clues while she and Asami were tasked with searching Aiwei’s abandoned jeep, pairings she had suggested and Mako hadn’t dared to question. He had simply shot them a few worried glances before disappearing over the hilltop with Bolin chattering along beside him.

That only left her, crouched on a rock overlooking the valley and struggling with a tempest of feelings she didn’t understand, and Asami. Asami, who was supposed to be searching the jeep, but who was staring holes in the back of her head instead.

“Are you okay?”

 _Her voice. It’s not fair. Why does her voice always have to sound like she’s begging me to take her?_ Korra let out a long sigh. “I’m just frustrated,” she said. “What does Zaheer want with me? What’s his plan?”  _Why can’t I just_ not care _about this so much? It would be so easy to mate with you. So easy to tear that dress in half. So easy to tell you how I feel about..._

“I don’t know, but I think I found a clue.”

Korra’s eyes widened in surprise. She hadn’t thought Asami was actually looking for anything. It had simply been an excuse for them to spend some time alone. “Really? What is it?” She hopped down from her perch and jogged over to Asami’s side, taking the piece of paper from her outstretched hand. “It says: ‘ _Xai Bau’s Grove, sundown’_. This must be where and when Aiwei’s going to meet Zaheer! Now we just have to look at a map, and...”

Her voice trailed off as she realized how close Asami was standing. The two of them were less than a foot apart. They hadn’t been within touching distance since the day before. “We… uh - the two of us, we should get in the jeep,” she stammered, gesturing at the door. “Mako and Bolin, we should tell them...”

But as Asami opened the door and slid into the driver’s seat, some part of Korra knew they weren’t about to head for the village. She and Asami had barely spoken since leaving Zaofu, but the silent communication between them didn’t require words. She headed around to the other end of the jeep, hoping the short distance would clear her head.  _We can’t do this. I can’t do this. It could ruin everything._ She hopped into the passenger’s seat without opening the door, swinging her legs over the side and landing with a thud. “We’d better go,” she said, trying not to inhale too deeply. Asami’s scent was everywhere. “Let’s keep the top down. I could use some air.”

Asami didn’t say anything. She didn’t start the engine. Instead, she turned in her seat, and Korra noticed that she hadn’t even fastened her safety belt. Her pale skin was flushed, and without her jacket, the points of her nipples were obvious through the front of her dress. Korra lost the fight not to lean over the gap between them. She scooted closer, brushing aside a lock of Asami’s hair drawing in a deep breath beside her slender throat.

_Oh Spirits, she smells good. So good it almost hurts to breathe._

Asami didn’t pull away from the touch. Instead, she tilted her chin ever so slightly upwards, offering more of her neck.

Korra’s mouth went dry and all the blood in her body rushed between her legs. She had thought her cock was hard before, but the subtle gesture of submission had her threatening to burst out of her pants. The only thing that kept her from taking that beautiful throat with her teeth was the fear of what would happen next. If she accepted Asami’s offer and gave into temptation, there was no going back. Their friendship would be forever changed, and if Asami hadn’t been diligent in her preparations, she might even end up…

“Korra.”

She whimpered at the sound of her name, realizing a second too late that she was releasing the noise against Asami’s flesh. Her lips had made the decision for her, eager for the taste of skin and salt. Her fingers had twisted themselves into Asami’s dress although she couldn’t remember reaching out, and her cock was pressing insistently into Asami’s hip. “We can’t do this,” she rasped as her teeth found Asami’s pulse-point. It took everything she had not to bite hard enough to leave a permanent mark. She soothed the spot with her tongue, groaning as the smell of Asami’s desire intensified. “We…” Kiss. “Have to…” Lick. “Stop…”

But Asami was already crawling into the passenger’s seat, kneeling over her lap, fisting her hair and dragging her into a proper kiss. She suddenly forgot all the reasons that mating with Asami was a terrible idea.  _Her mouth is so warm. So soft and sweet and open and if I just press my tongue a little further forward I can…_  Asami’s lips parted for her, and she pushed past them on instinct. She didn’t have much practice, but it didn’t matter. The hand on the back of her head offered guidance, pulling tighter every time she did something right.

Sadly, she didn’t have long to savor their first kiss. Asami dragged her into the back of the jeep by the collar of her shirt, and she barely caught herself on the other side. When she landed, her entire body stiffened. Asami was underneath her. Actually underneath her, shifting and arching and rubbing in search of as much contact as possible. Even without direct skin contact, the sensation was overwhelming. Too overwhelming. She scrambled back, afraid of ruining her clothes if Asami got a better angle. Simply tasting Asami's lips had pushed her embarrassingly close to the edge.

The change in position didn't help. As soon as she struggled upright on the bench, Asami followed her, swinging a knee over her thighs again. "Oh, Korra, you're already so hard," she purred, petting the bulge at the front of her pants.

"I-" There was no denying it. Her cock strained helplessly against Asami's hand, twitching beneath the fabric. It sprang free as soon as Asami managed to unfasten the drawstring and open the gap at the front, but the extra room only made her discomfort worse. There were no more barriers blocking Asami's fingertips as they skimmed over her, tracing the outline of a vein.

She let out a strangled moan as Asami’s warm hand finally found a grip around her shaft. It was only a soft squeeze, a test of her length and girth, but she couldn’t help it. She had been on edge for two whole days, and she was in desperate need of release. “Wh… Ah! A-Asami, what are you doing?” she stammered, nails scrabbling at the bench beneath her. She needed something to grip and she couldn’t bring herself to hold onto Asami’s hips.

“Helping.” The heat of Asami’s breath sent a shiver down Korra’s spine, and her cock throbbed as the fist wrapped around her started to move. The strokes were slow, but purposeful enough to draw a pearl of wetness from her aching head. “You know we won’t be able to do anything else until we take care of this. I  _need_  you.”

“I…” She tried to answer, to tell Asami that she needed her too, but it was useless. She was rising swiftly already, swelling beyond what she had thought possible. Light ripples travelled the length of her shaft as she fought off a premature climax, bringing small slips of heat with them. The wetness pooling at her slit rolled over the head of her cock and dripped onto Asami’s fingers, adding extra slickness. She clutched the edge of the bench for dear life, certain that if she let go, she would shatter into a million pieces.

“Please, Korra,” Asami whispered. Hot lips grazed across her cheek, making her face burn. “Let me help. Let me make you come. I want you so much.”

 _‘I want you’… ‘I need you’… She needs me._  Somehow, those words were even more arousing than the hand sliding along her length. The pressure inside her pounded harder with each pump of Asami's fist, and her hips bucked in search of relief. Her shaft ached, straining against Asami's palm. "Asami... Oh, Spirits, please. I-if you don't stop, I'm gonna..." But it was already far too late. Even if Asami stopped touching her at the last moment, she knew she had no choice but to come.

Instead of being dissuaded, Asami continued stroking her with even more enthusiasm. Her hand sped up, and Korra's stomach muscles clenched. Asami's lips hovered a breath away from hers, close enough for another kiss, but teasingly out of reach. "I don't want to stop. I want you to come for me, all over me, inside of-"

"Ah!" Pleasure took over before she could say the rest of Asami's name. The heavy fullness in the base of her cock finally burst, shooting up along her shaft and spurting from her twitching tip. Thick streams of come spilled over Asami's fingers and onto her own abdomen, staining the bottom of her shirt. She grunted with each pulse, mouth hanging open in ecstasy until Asami caught her in another deep kiss. Their tongues tangled together, and the hard jets came faster as she emptied everything she had.

Asami didn't stop when her orgasm faded to aftershocks. The hand on her cock kept squeezing, trying to coax out every last drop, but it only succeeded in working her back to hardness. Almost instantly, she was swelling again, squirming on top of the bench as Asami teased her sensitive shaft. The quick orgasm had been the most powerful of her life, but her relief had only lasted a few seconds. Pressure throbbed along her length, and she sobbed in frustration and disbelief.

"It's okay," Asami murmured into her mouth, slipping the words between short kisses. They were soothing and torturous at the same time, and Korra's abdomen clenched with need. "We're not done. Just let me..." A rustling sound caused her to break their kiss and look between their bodies. Asami was struggling to ruck up her dress, and Korra couldn't stop herself from helping.

She finally allowed herself the contact she had been craving, sliding her hands along Asami's thighs and shoving the skirt of her dress up past her hips. When she saw that Asami wasn't wearing anything underneath except for her stockings, she sucked in a breath through clenched teeth, growling low in her throat.

The sight before her was even more beautiful than she had imagined. Asami’s plump outer lips were petaled apart, revealing slick pink inner folds and the firm red bud of her clit. It was already swollen with need, with its hood pulled back over the straining shaft. Everything was coated in a glistening wet glaze, and Korra felt an almost painful pull in her cock. She wanted to sink into that soft heat so badly it hurt. She wanted to peel those pouting lips apart with her thumbs, to guide Asami's hips until they were hovering over hers, to push up until every inch of her shaft was buried in tight, clinging warmth.

Korra knew there were at least a hundred reasons she shouldn't mate with Asami, but she couldn't summon a single one to mind. Instead, the only reason that mattered took over. Asami was an omega in heat, slick and open and ready for her cock, and she needed to rut. Her dominant instincts took over. She reversed their positions, flipping Asami onto her back and bracing herself on her elbows. The jeep's bench was barely wide enough to hold them both, but it didn't matter. She was finally right where she wanted to be, settled between Asami's lean thighs and inches away from claiming her.


	7. Chapter 7

The first brush of Korra's shaft as it slid against her sent stars shooting behind Asami's eyes. She keened, fisting the back of Korra's shirt and exposing her neck. Sharp teeth latched onto her throat, and the powerful hips above hers kept pumping, but the fullness she craved never came. Korra's cock felt wonderful rubbing against her, but it wasn't lined up with her entrance. Each thrust slid uselessly through her wetness, causing her inner muscles to flutter with jealousy.

 _Well, not useless,_  she thought as the broad head of Korra's cock nudged her clit. The movements on top of her were so desperate that Asami knew Korra wasn't doing it on purpose, but it was intensely pleasurable anyway, so pleasurable that she didn't bother trying to redirect Korra's jogging hips for several moments. Korra's length dragged along almost every sensitive spot she had, and their combined wetness made each glide count.

"Korra," she whimpered, stroking the tense, corded muscles beneath her hands. She followed them all the way down, gripping the firm swell of Korra's ass, but it didn't help. She couldn't decide whether to stop Korra's thrusts or encourage them. "Korra, wait, let me fix—" But Korra only growled against her throat, sinking her teeth deeper and speeding up her insistent rhythm. She was lost in her rut, overtaken by lust and the instinct to breed.

Asami knew there was no way she could rein in any of Korra's actions. Even as her body ached with the need to be stretched, claimed, fucked, she hooked her knee around Korra's hip and surrendered to the slippery grinding motion instead.  _Maybe it's better to let her finish this way. She can't get me pregnant if she doesn't come inside me._  The thought of Korra's come hitting her inner walls sent a stab of want straight through her abdomen. She tried once more to adjust their angle, but Korra wouldn't allow it. A powerful blast of air pushed her arms up and over her head, and though she struggled, she couldn't move.

The realization that she was trapped only made her desire fiercer. She was no match for Korra's strength, but she didn't want to escape. She wanted to belong to Korra in every possible way, and if she couldn't take her alpha's come inside, she would at least wear it proudly. She wrapped her other leg around Korra's waist as well, giving her a silky wet surface to push against.

Strong, callused hands clutched her hips, and Korra let out a series of tight grunts around the bruise her teeth were forming. Growling, possessive noises rumbled in her chest, and Asami felt the points of her nipples harden at the vibrations. Her clit started to pound with its own heartbeat, and she nearly came as a spurt of Korra's warmth spilled over it. Even though it wasn't inside her, Asami could feel the fullness in Korra's cock. They were pressed tight enough for her to sense each needy ripple that traveled along its length. The firm shudders brought more little slips of heat with them, and she savored each one. She hoped they meant that Korra was close, that her alpha would hurry up and release the heavy orgasm throbbing against her.

She didn't have to wait long. On the next thrust, Korra let go of the mating bite, howling as her hips bucked one final time. The length of her cock pulsed, and thick streams of come shot from its twitching head. Asami gasped at the first flood of warmth washed over her, digging her nails into her palms as her soft inner muscles spasmed. She wanted so badly for the hard jets to shoot inside her, but it was too late. They ran uselessly over her instead, covering her clit, splashing up onto her stomach, and dripping over her thighs.

Still, the hot spurts were enough to push her over the edge. She strained against her invisible bonds, trembling all over as Korra's climax became hers. Her inner walls clamped down around nothing, searching desperately for Korra's cock, and her swollen front wall pulsed as she forced out a flood of her own. Her release ripped through her, gushing over Korra's still-shivering shaft. She gasped in amazement, staring down at the swift river running between their bodies. Even during her worst heats, no other partner had managed to make her give so much, and Korra wasn't even inside of her yet.

But there wasn't time for surprise, or even embarrassment. The seemingly endless rush wouldn't stop. She rode out the rest of her orgasm with sobs and broken sighs, blinking around a few stray tears. Each time she thought she was finished, Korra would groan and shudder and send another burst of come spilling all over her, and the cycle would start again. By the time both of them were spent, the back seat was drenched, and so were they.

Finally, Korra finished emptying herself. The haze of desire seemed to lift, and she collapsed in an exhausted heap. Asami realized that her hands were free again, and she hurried to wrap Korra in her arms, cradling her as she gave a few more weak pumps of her hips. Something large and firm pressed against her, and Asami's eyes widened as she realized that Korra had accidentally formed a knot. It didn't serve any purpose, since Korra's release hadn't actually filled her, but the thought that her alpha had wanted to join their bodies together was strangely touching. It made her heart flutter in her chest and her lips tug into a smile.

Carefully, she reversed their positions and tipped Korra onto her back, relieved when her lover didn't protest.  _I suppose she is my lover now,_  Asami thought, unsure how she felt about it. Eventually, she settled on cautious joy. There were many ways all of this could go horribly wrong, but some part of her couldn't help being happy. She cared for Korra a great deal, more than she could put into words, and didn't want to be apart from her. For now, that would have to be enough.

When she caught sight of Korra's shaft, still hard and glistening with their combined wetness, her first instinct was to reclaim her former position over Korra's lap and mount it. Unfortunately, the thick knot at the bottom would make it difficult for her to take it all the way inside. She crawled between Korra's splayed legs instead, cupping the large bulge. It took both hands to hold it, and she began squeezing gently, simulating the contractions of her inner muscles.

Korra's reaction was immediate. She let out a long, loud groan and released another stream of come, adding to the stain at the bottom of her already soaked shirt. Asami hurried to fold her mouth around the fat head before the next shot, unwilling to let any more of the precious fluid go to waste. If she couldn't take it inside of her, tasting it was the next best thing. The salty-sweet flavor that lit up her tongue was just as intoxicating as Korra's scent, and she swallowed eagerly, lapping against the open slit between spurts in search of more.

She spent the next several minutes making sure her alpha was completely empty. Her hands continued kneading the full, heavy knot, coaxing all the come that was left up along Korra's shaft and into her mouth. Korra was too worn out from her rut to do anything but allow herself to be serviced, although her hips gave a few lazy pumps whenever she released a particularly hard jet. Her blue eyes were hazy with pleasure and contentment, and Asami thought she saw a hint of tenderness in them as well.

"'Sami," she tried to mumble, but Korra managed to slur even the three simple syllables of her name.

Asami released Korra's cock with a soft pop and smiled up at her.  _Oh, Korra. Even when you're half-asleep, I still love the way you say my name._  "Thank you," she said aloud, giving Korra's knot one final squeeze. Korra let out a low hiss, but there was nothing left. Her shaft had finally begun to soften, and the swell at the bottom started to shrink as well. "I guess both of us really needed that."

"Y—yeah..." Korra stammered. "I'm, uh, sorry... sorry I..." Her bronze cheeks didn't offer much room for contrast, but Asami picked up on the subtle signs that she was blushing. Her heart clenched with fond sympathy. Her poor alpha was embarrassed at failing to mate her properly. Obviously, Korra was even less sexually experienced than she had suspected.

"You don't have to be sorry. I'm surprised you had enough control during your rut to stay outside," she said, letting go of Korra's shaft and massaging her stomach instead. The hard muscles were still coated with their combined wetness, but she didn't mind as her fingers played through it. "Most alphas would have taken me without asking."

Korra's flush became even more prominent, crawling down her chest until it reached the collar of her shirt. "Um... I— I mean... yeah. Control. Right." Although she was still embarrassed, she also seemed relieved. Asami wasn't certain whether it was because Korra thought she had saved face, or whether she wasn't ready to sire children yet, but now that the worst of their need had passed, she was grateful for it as well. "But... you know, now that we've—if... if you need any more help with your heat, I could..."

Korra's voice was so soft at the end of the request that Asami could barely hear her. Her smile grew wider, and she began placing butterfly kisses against Korra's belly, occasionally nipping at the soft skin. She hadn't had the pleasure of returning Korra's mating bite, but a few faint marks elsewhere would satisfy her for the moment. "I appreciate it. Both of us are going to need clear heads to handle Aiwei and Zaheer."

The mention of their enemies brought Korra back to reality. Her forehead wrinkled with concern and the happiness in her eyes began to fade. "Asami, would you... would you please promise me one thing?"

"Of course," she said, pressing a kiss just beneath the shallow dip of Korra's navel. "Anything for you."

"Promise me this won't ruin things between us." Korra's strained voice cracked with emotion, and Asami pushed herself further up along the alpha's exhausted body, only stopping once their faces were level. "You're my best friend in the whole world. No matter what happens, I don't want to lose that. I care about you too much to let sex change things or take you away from me."

The words should have made her happy, but instead, they sent a lance of sadness through her heart. ' _You're my best friend in the whole world. I don't want to lose that...'_   _Korra doesn't want to be my mate. She might love me, but she isn't in love with me._  At the same moment, Asami felt her own feelings solidify.  _She isn't in love with me, but I'm already in love with her. And I don't think I can help it._

Somehow, she forced herself to say what Korra wanted to hear. "Of course," she said, forcing a smile. "You're my best friend, too. I'm not going to let sex hurt our friendship the way Mako did. But can I kiss you? Please? You know, since the two of us just..."

Korra didn't show any signs of doubt as she propped herself up, bringing their lips together. Asami relished the kiss, parting her lips for the alpha's eager tongue. If this was all Korra could give her, she would take it wholeheartedly. Not just because of her heat, but because her heart demanded it. Hopefully she would be able to keep her promise despite her feelings. The other option, confessing her love and causing Korra the pain she had already admitted to being afraid of, was absolutely unthinkable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mwahahaha. Y'all are just gonna hafta suffer a little longer.


	8. Chapter 8

Korra groaned into the slickness and heat against her lips as Asami arched into her. She couldn't see much with her braids half falling out and her face buried between Asami's gorgeous thighs, but she didn't need to. The desperate sobs and muffled whimpers above her were enough. One of Asami's hands threaded through her hair, holding her head in place. The other was stuffed in her own mouth to muffle her screams.

The gesture sent a shudder running along Korra's cock. She growled around Asami's clit, sending vibrations through the sensitive bud. She loved the thought that Asami’s control was slipping, that her touch was making the beautiful, shivering, panting woman above her fall apart. She had never tried this before with a female partner, but if Asami's reactions were any indication, she was doing pretty well for her first time.

_And I don't want it to just be the one time._

The hot fluid rushing over her chin and into her mouth was the sweetest thing she had ever tasted. She couldn't get enough. Even though she loved the noises she could coax out by sucking the swollen point of Asami's clit, Korra couldn't resist drifting back down to her entrance for more. Luckily, there seemed to be a never-ending supply. Asami's inner thighs were covered in slick, glistening lines of wetness, and Korra was certain that if it weren't for her, there would have been a puddle on the bathroom floor.

"Korra," Asami whispered, clutching tighter at her hair. "Korra, oh please, Korra, _pleasepleaseplease_..." Korra's shaft throbbed as another gush spilled onto her tongue. She almost wanted to pull her cock out of her pants and stroke herself to relieve some of the ache, but it was all she could do to keep up with Asami's frantically bucking hips. She would never be able to focus if she started taking care of herself, too.

Instead, she devoted herself to Asami's pleasure. The omega was thrashing, quivering, head tilted back against the wall and stomach pulsing as she hovered on the brink. Even though she had only seen Asami come once, Korra could tell she was close. It would only take a little more to send her flying over the edge. She left Asami's opening and sealed back around her clit, circling the tip with her tongue and tugging hard.

The rough, direct stimulation was exactly what Asami needed. She cried out around her fist, face screwing up in pleasure as her muscles stretched taut. Korra would have smiled if her lips weren't pulling furiously at Asami's clit. She was swiftly growing addicted to making Asami come. She had been too lost in her own desire to enjoy the omega's last orgasm, but she wasn't going to make the same mistake twice. This release was all hers, and she had more than earned it. She re-doubled her efforts, following Asami's jerky, uneven thrusts as best she could.

Asami's climax hit with such force that it nearly pushed Korra backwards. If it hadn't been for the hand on her head, she never would have been able to maintain contact. Warmth flooded over her chin, too much for her to capture, so she didn't even try. She kept focused on the throbbing bundle of Asami's clit. Since painting circles over it required too much coordination, she settled for keeping the twitching bud trapped between her lips.

_"Korra!"_

Pride swelled in Korra's chest as Asami screamed her name, shamelessly abandoning all her efforts to be quiet. She relished the sounds of Asami's release almost as much as the honey splashing over her cheeks. They had to be filtering through the door, but even that thrilled her. She had long since stopped caring whether Mako and Bolin knew that she had been chosen to satisfy Asami's heat. Bolin wasn't even competition, but Mako could use a reminder that Asami had been claimed, at least for the next few days.

Finally, Asami's hips stilled. The sharp cries faded back to whimpers, and all that remained were a few shivers. Korra finally allowed herself the luxury of catching them in her mouth, sliding her tongue back down to Asami's entrance and pushing inside in search of the rest. _How have I lived without this for so long?_ she thought as she began a gentle thrusting motion, ignoring the stiffness in her jaw in favor of savoring Asami's rippling aftershocks. _I want to stay buried in her forever..._

That thought sent a powerful ache along her length. She knew it was stupid, knew that the five minutes they had already stolen together in the cramped washroom were a risk, but they hadn't been able to help themselves. When Asami had abandoned her latest game of Pai Sho with Bolin and murmured something about needing a break, she had followed in a trance. She hadn't even thought about it. Her instincts had dragged her along until both of them were crowded into the tiny water closet and she was shoving up the hem of Asami's dress.

Out of curiosity, she pulled her tongue back, replacing it with two of her fingers. She suddenly realized that she hadn't actually been inside of Asami yet. The desire to feel her completely, to learn what it was like to be wrapped in the velvet walls her mouth had only been able to tease, was too tempting to resist. She gave an upward thrust, and Asami wailed, trembling, soaked legs spreading wide to take her in.

Korra started thrusting before she even realized what she was doing. Asami felt so hot, so tight, so good around her that it was almost too much. Her cock strained with jealousy, and a few slips of wetness shuddered from the pounding tip. She hurried to undo her pants with her other hand, bucking into her own fist at the first touch. She had already knotted again— _How does she always do that to me even before I'm in her?_ —and she pumped herself from the top of the swell up to her head.

"Korra," Asami gasped, rocking onto her fingers and fluttering around them. Korra groaned as warmth spilled over her knuckles, dripping down to her wrist. "Please, just curl your—Oh!"

The shout she earned when she understood what Asami was asking and hooked her fingers forward sent wetness running over her other hand as well. Her cock pulsed in her grip as a ridged, puffy place against Asami's front wall began to swell, pushing back into her fingertips. Her tongue had been able to feel a little of it before, but it was much larger than she had expected. _Sensitive and easy to find._ She curled her fingers again, drawing out another panting squeal. _I bet I could hit this with the tip of my cock, or even with the base of my knot..._

That thought was too tempting to resist. Ignoring Asami's desperate noises of protest, she pulled her fingers out with a slick pop. She crawled to her feet on shaking legs, relying on the wall for support and bracing one forearm against it. Her other hand stayed wrapped around her cock, and she used the grip to guide her tip through Asami's wetness. "Do it," Asami panted, tilting her hips forward for better access. "Take me, quick. Just don't knot me. There isn't time..."

"Oh Spirits," Korra muttered as she struggled to line herself up with Asami's entrance. The omega was so slippery that it was hard to find her opening, but at last, she hit a place where she could push forward. "You feel so good, Asami. I—I don't know how long I'll last... I've never done this before..."

Asami stroked between her shoulderblades, urging her to start sinking inside. "Not with Mako?"

"Not with my cock," she confessed through gritted teeth. Asami's heat had only covered her very tip, not even the widest part, but it was already blissful. "Are you kidding? He's a male beta. No natural lubrication. He took one look and almost fainted, and I hadn’t even knotted yet."

"His loss," Asami purred, leaning forward to tug at the lobe of her ear. The slight graze of her teeth made Korra's hips snap, and she finally managed to start pushing in the widest part of her crown. "My gain. Korra, inside, _please_..." She drew her hips back, preparing to thrust forward and lose herself, but a sharp knock on the door made her freeze. Asami whimpered in what sounded like pain, fisting the collar of her shirt, urging her to keep going. "Ignore it. Don't—"

For a second, she almost gave in. She was one push away from heaven, from everything she hadn't even known she needed. But she knew she couldn't ignore it. She managed to hold back her rut and keep from claiming Asami through sheer force of will, but couldn't bear to pull away either. "What is it?" she snarled, glaring over her shoulder at the door.

"It's Mako. We need to talk. It's almost sundown and Aiwei hasn't left his room."

"Fuck," Korra spat. She buried her face in Asami's warm shoulder, nuzzling at her throat. The grating sound of Mako's voice was tempting her to shove inside, to take what belonged to her, but the small part of her brain that wasn't consumed with lust knew he was right. It wasn't his fault Asami's heat had made her despise him for the past few days. He was only trying to keep them safe. There were people trying to kill her, dangerous people, and she had to remain on her guard as well as bring Aiwei to justice. Mating with Asami would leave her vulnerable, and the Avatar couldn't afford to be caught with her pants down.

With more reluctance than she had imagined possible, she withdrew from Asami’s heat. Unfortunately, that left the problem of her cock. It was still hard, and she had no idea how she was going to get it back into her pants. One soft touch could easily make her come, and she feared she would actually injure herself if she didn't. “Asami,” she whimpered, biting her lip. “Could you please…?”

She hadn't even needed to ask. Asami dropped to her knees before she finished her sentence. Warm, hungry lips wrapped around the head of her shaft, and she grunted in pleasure, fighting the instinct to thrust. One lash of Asami's clever tongue over her aching slit undid her. She came with a low grunt, pumping thick streams of fluid into Asami's mouth. It wasn't what her instincts were demanding, but it was definitely what her body needed. She fisted Asami’s already-messy hair, shoving her fingers through it and pushing deeper. The tongue teasing her felt wonderful, but she couldn’t help herself. She continued spilling hot pulses of come, groaning and releasing more every time she felt the omega swallow.

The clasping muscles of Asami’s throat against the tip of her cock and the soft hands massaging her knot quickly coaxed out enough to ease her discomfort. She still didn't feel finished when her climax ended, but the worst of the pain was gone. She sighed with relief, sagging over and placing a hand on Asami's shoulder for balance. "Thanks," she rasped, preparing to pull out. Asami kept her inside a moment longer, giving her knot one last affectionate squeeze before releasing the rest of her shaft and tucking it back into her pants. There was still a considerable bulge, but at least her length wasn’t pounding along with every heartbeat.

"The rest of that is still mine," Asami said as she rose back to her feet. "And as soon as all this is finished, it's going inside me where it belongs."

Korra's eyes widened in surprise, and another needy twitch ran along her length. "Stop saying things like that, or Korra Junior isn't ever going away."

"Korra Junior?" Asami snorted, hiding a grin behind her hand. "That's really the name you picked for the intimidating shaft and knot that scared the brave Mako?"

Korra rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly, but she didn't have time to be shy. The pounding on the door continued, and Mako's voice filtered in once again. "Korra, Asami, I know this is difficult, but both of you have to come out."

"He's right," Asami said, leaning in close and caressing her cheek. Korra suddenly found herself drawn into a kiss, and her heart leapt when she realized it wasn't just a goodbye. It was also full of promise, and she groaned as her own taste spread through her mouth. Apparently, the omega hadn’t swallowed everything. The flavor was even better when it came from Asami's tongue. "Later. I promise. Let's go take care of Aiwei. Maybe then we can do this right."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm writing as fast as I can, I swear! But this story just keeps getting longer. This was supposed to be about Team Avatar going after Aiwei, but it turned into smut. Hopefully no one minds. Next chapter's about 3/4ths done, and it actually has some plot/character exploration.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize if this makes anyone uncomfortable, but there will be a few brief mentions of Korra and Asami's previous relationships with Mako. This story is about a lesbian relationship, and there will be absolutely no hetero sex, but the characters are bisexual, and I won't pretend their previous experiences never happened. Bi erasure is a thing, and it's not a thing I'm willing to do.

When Asami opened the door, she wasn't surprised to see Mako standing outside. His usual hard expression was softened slightly by embarrassment, and there was even a hint of a blush on his cheeks. She almost felt sorry for him. _Almost. Maybe if he hadn't interrupted us, I actually would._

But as frustrated as her body was at being denied a proper mating, Asami knew none of this was Mako's fault. As a beta, he had no frame of reference for what she and Korra were going through - and it was a lucky thing he didn't. Without him, they probably would have spent the next several days holed up in a small hotel room saturated with the smell of sex instead of saving the world. "Thanks, Mako," she said, deciding to rely on the part of her that appreciated his clear head instead of the part that wanted to strangle him. "I know that couldn't have been easy. And I'm sorry you had to hear..."

"I don't care about that," he said with a wave of his hand, although he wouldn't meet her eyes. "It's instinct. I get it."

Asami sighed. _It's far more than instinct. At least, it is for me._ She glanced over her shoulder in time to see Korra exit the bathroom, tying up her trousers. Her hands were clean, but she still smelled like sex and sweat, and the bulge at the front of her pants was only slightly less prominent than it had been for the past few days. "Updates?" she barked, aiming a harsh stare at Mako. Asami gave her a small, sympathetic smile. Poor Korra was falling back on her other alpha instincts since her attempts at rutting had been interrupted.

Mako straightened, relieved that the natural order had returned. "I caught Aiwei peeking out of his window about fifteen minutes ago, just after you left. It's in my logbook."

"So why did you interrupt us?" Korra's voice came out tight and strained, more growl than anything else.

"Look." Mako gestured toward the window. "It's sundown, and he hasn't made a move to go anywhere. Something's not right."

Korra's hands clenched into fists and her brow furrowed. Asami indulged herself for a few moments, admiring the taut muscles of Korra's arms and imagining how it would feel to be at the mercy of so much raw power. Unfortunately, the fantasy didn't last. "I'm going over there," Korra snapped, heading for the exit. "This needs to end now."

Mako's worried expression changed abruptly to one of alarm. "Korra, wait. You can't just burst into his room. You're going to ruin the element of surprise!"

"What?" Korra paused at the door, rounding on him with bared teeth. "Since when do you get off on telling me what to do?" Even though Mako was taller, she seemed to tower over him, leaning right into his face. His eyes darkened, and Asami felt a slice of desire in her belly even as she flushed with embarrassment. It was obvious that Mako could smell her scent all over Korra, and thanks to her heat, the possessive thought was actually pleasant.

Mako didn't flinch, but Asami sensed the subtle shift in his scent. He was intimidated by the display of dominance even though he wasn't showing it. "Korra, I understand Asami's heat has been hard on you, but..."

"No, you don't understand," Korra snarled. "I don't care how many of her heats you think you satisfied. You have no idea what I'm going through, and what she's going through is even worse. She's supposed to be mine, and that stupid, stuck-up, lying traitor with his ugly nose-chain and you are the only two things in my way! Stand aside, or I'll make you."

Asami started to intervene, but before she could move, Bolin stepped between them. His posture was submissive, but Asami knew he wasn't afraid. Omegas were natural peacemakers, and they were experts at defusing volatile situations. "Korra," he said, putting a gentle hand on her shoulder, "Mako isn't trying to take Asami away from you. He just wants to get Aiwei so you'll be safe. We all do. We're on the same side here."

Even though the sight of Bolin's palm on Korra's arm made her seethe a little, Asami was relieved when it paid off. Korra relaxed, stepping away and unclenching her fists. To her surprise - a feeling she shared with Mako as they exchanged glances - Korra pulled Bolin into a hug, tucking her chin over his broad shoulder. "I'm sorry," she mumbled into his shirt. "It's just so hard..."

"I know." Bolin cleared his throat, and the soothing circles he had been rubbing on Korra's back turned into awkward pats.

Korra suddenly seemed to realize what he meant. She pulled away, clearing her throat and adjusting her pants. Asami's eyes tracked the motion instinctively, and she willed herself not to be jealous. She knew Korra had no interest in Bolin, or even Mako, but her heat made her possessive. She was relieved that her alpha had moved a fair distance away from both of them.

"Sorry," Korra said again, more clearly this time. Her face set with determination, and Asami's heart fluttered at the sight. "But we're still Team Avatar, right? We're gonna take care of Aiwei, Zaheer, and anyone else who thinks they can mess with us. Asami's heat will stop making me crazy, and then everything will go back to normal."

The flutter faded, and Asami struggled to hide her frown. Logically, she knew everything would return to the way it was, but part of her was sad at the prospect.  _Back to normal? What if I don't want things to go back to normal yet? I wish I could stay in heat forever, no matter how uncomfortable it is. If I do, it means you'll keep looking at me like..._ She almost melted under the heat of Korra's gaze as it fixed back on her. _Like that. Like you want to devour me. Like you could love me afterwards._

"Right." Bolstered by Korra's confidence, Mako spoke up. "We'll come up with a plan-"

"Nope," Korra said, shaking her head. "I'm still going over there. We don't have time to wait around. Sunset's here, and Aiwei hasn't budged. Let's go check it out." She barreled past Mako and through the door before he could stop her, and Asami hurried to follow, falling into step beside Bolin.

"You know I wasn't trying to... ehhh... right?" he said, giving her his most innocent look.

Asami forced a smile. "I know. After Eska, maybe it's time for you to take a break from rutting alphas for a little while."

"I dunno. Opal's pretty nice. She doesn't seem like the crazy, self-centered type I usually go for. It could work if we're ever in the same place again..."

There wasn't time to continue the conversation. Korra was already outside and half-way across the road, and she and Bolin had to sprint to catch up. They managed to reach her just as she kicked down the door, blasting it with a billow of air for good measure. "It's over, Aiwei! Where's- wait, what?

Asami looked over Korra's shoulder, instantly realizing what had caused the alpha to hesitate. Aiwei was indeed in his room, but he wasn't conscious. Instead, he was sitting cross-legged on his bed, eyes closed and face unmoving. His arms remained relaxed as they rested on top of his thighs, and he didn't even twitch as they entered.

"That's a weird way to nap," Bolin said, peering at Aiwei curiously.

"He's not sleeping," Asami said. "He's meditating."

A thoughtful look crossed Korra's face. "Wait. Asami, those spirits were trying to tell us something earlier. Xai Bau's Grove isn't on the map because it isn't in the physical world. It's in the Spirit World!" She climbed onto the foot of the narrow bed and adopted the same pose as Aiwei. "I'm going in after him."

Asami almost expected Mako to protest, but this time, he seemed inclined to follow Korra's decisions. "We'll watch him in case he wakes up. Be careful."

"I will."

Korra prepared to close her eyes, but Asami approached the bed, reaching out to touch her arm. "You've got to come back safe and finish what you started, okay?" she whispered, leaning down so only Korra could hear her. "I can't get through the rest of this heat by myself. I need you."

They weren't the three words she wanted to say, but they would have to be good enough.

Korra gave her a lopsided smirk. "If you say things like that, I won't be able to meditate."

Asami backed away with a sigh, but not before giving Korra's shoulder one last squeeze. "Be careful," she repeated, trying to sound confident despite the sinking feeling in her stomach. "We'll make sure your body stays safe."  _It had better. I'm not finished with it yet._

The next several minutes crept by at a painfully slow pace. She, Mako, and Bolin didn't speak, only meeting each other's eyes when the silence became too oppressive. Thankfully, neither of them tried to stand too close to Korra. Bolin propped himself up against Naga's large side while Mako stood guard at the window, peering out into the empty street. Asami was grateful. She was already on edge, and just the thought of letting either of them near the bed made her want to growl.

When she wasn't checking to make sure Aiwei was still unconscious and Mako was keeping his distance, Asami's attention remained fixed on Korra's face. Its planes weren't soft with sleep. Instead, a crease had formed in the middle of her brow, and her eyes darted behind their thin lids. Asami reached out to stroke Korra's cheek, trying to smooth some of the tension away with slow passes of her thumbs. She knew the gesture was too affectionate, but she couldn't help herself. She hated seeing Korra in any kind of distress...

Mako's urgent voice broke the silence. "Uh, Asami?" She drew her hand back and turned, baring her teeth at the interruption, but stopped when she saw the look on his face. "I don't know how, but water-arm-lady and lava-guy found us."

"What? How?"

"I just said I don't know how!"

Asami gave Korra's shoulders a firm shake, but it was no use. Her lover's soft blue eyes remained stubbornly shut. She was still trapped in the Spirit World, oblivious to everything else. "We have to get Korra out of here," she said, sliding an arm around Korra's waist and hauling her up. "I'll take Naga. Bolin, give me a hand." Reluctantly, she allowed Bolin to help lift Korra's body off the bed and onto Naga's back. She hopped up after, ignoring the polar bear dog's whimpers of distress.

"Bolin and I will hold them off," Mako said. "As soon as we go out and engage them, run for it. Get as far away from the city as you can. I promise we'll catch up with you."

Asami nodded. Her stomach churned at the thought of leaving Mako and Bolin behind, but Korra was still slumped helplessly against her chest. Her protective instincts rose to the surface, and she fastened her arm tighter around Korra's abdomen. _I'm not going to let anyone hurt you. Not this time._

A split second later, Mako threw the door open, sprinting out into the empty street with Bolin hot on his heels. Asami ignored the rumble of shifting earth and the biting scent of fire. She couldn't afford to look and see if they were all right. Instead, she tugged on the reins, kicking her heels against Naga’s sides. To her relief, the polar bear dog obeyed the command. Naga leapt through the swinging door, heading for the edge of the city at a fast lope.

Gradually, the sounds of fighting grew further and further away. Asami finally felt safe enough to look back over her shoulder. They were half way up the hill, heading toward their previous camp. All she could make out in the darkness were a few faint lights from the village below. No one seemed to be following them. Korra remained limp in her arms, swaying each time Naga's giant paws hit the ground. Dust blew around them, whipping past her face and stinging her eyes.

_Wait, dust-?_

She tugged hard on Naga's reins, but it was too late. A great wall of earth jutted out of the hill, covering them in a shower of dirt. She screamed, veering to the left, but more earth slanted over her, blocking her path. It was closing in over her head, sealing them underground. Just before she tumbled off Naga's thrashing back, she managed to secure Korra in her arms, curling protectively around her body as both of them hit the ground.  _No one's going to hurt you. Not unless they can get through me._


	10. Chapter 10

Korra struggled inside her straitjacket, thrashing until the straps and buckles dug into her flesh. Fighting hurt, but she hardly noticed the pain. Her eyes remained fixed on the beta guard's hands as he held Asami's arms. No,  _clutched_  them. Clutched them tight enough to leave light indents in the fabric of Asami's jacket. Her fingers twitched, bunching into fists. Being tied down was maddening enough, but watching someone else touch  _her_  omega was infuriating. She growled as the guard forced Asami to kneel, glaring daggers at him every time he moved.

She was pleased when the noise caused a flash of fear to appear in his eyes. He took another step back, although he didn't let go of Asami's shoulders. "Easy, Avatar," he said, his voice cracking with nervousness. "I won't hurt your mate. I'm just chaining her to the floor. I—I'm under orders..."

Korra didn't bother correcting him. She and Asami hadn't shared a mating bite— _yet_ —but she knew the guard could smell their mixed scents. It didn't matter that he was a beta, or that he couldn't be any older than they were. Asami was  _hers_ , and he knew it. His actions were unacceptable. She growled louder, jerking inside her prison. She knew it was useless, but she didn't care. She couldn't remain still while Asami was in danger, while someone else's hands were on the woman her every instinct urged her to protect...

The young guard almost dropped Asami's chains. They rattled and slipped in his fingers, and his chin trembled. "I—I'm just going to finish tying her down," he stammered. "Then I'll back away. Okay?"

Korra went silent, but she continued watching closely as the guard knelt behind Asami's hunched figure. Thankfully, he didn't try to touch her again. He fumbled with the chains, trying to loop them around a pipe on the floor. Asami finally looked up, and Korra felt some of the pounding red haze in her head fade as their eyes met. They shared a moment of silent communication, and she wasn't all that surprised to see Asami wink at her.

 _Oh?_  Her fury faded just a little, and she lifted her eyebrows in question.  _You've got a plan?_  Asami gave her a small nod, and she returned the gesture with a slow blink of acknowledgment.

Asami glanced away from her, looking back over her shoulder at the guard instead. “Excuse me, sir? I know you're only following orders, but do I  _have_  to be chained to the floor the whole way?" She leaned closer, and Korra bit back another unhappy rumble. The pitch of Asami's voice was sweet and seductive, and judging by the glazed look that came over the guard's face, it was having an effect. Even betas weren't immune to an omega's heat. "It’s going to be  _so_   _uncomfortable_...”

The guard shook himself, but Korra caught his gaze flicking down to the 'v' of Asami's neckline. She had never been so glad to see Asami's beautiful skin covered by her jacket. “Uh, I'm sorry, ma’am," he said, making a valiant effort to look away. His eyes darted toward her, and she couldn't resist giving him another warning snarl. "I’m under orders."

Asami leapt on the hesitation in his voice. “Can’t you just chain me to that railing?" she asked, all innocent pleading.

Korra clenched her fists until her nails left stinging crescents in her palms. She knew what Asami was doing, but the subtle flare of the guard's nostrils still had her quivering with rage. Her muscles tensed to the snapping point, and barely managed to stop herself from twisting inside straitjacket again. The guard's attention shifted warily from her to Asami before settling on a narrow railing against the wall. "I, uh—I don't think..."

"It won't change anything. I mean, where am I gonna go?” Asami gave the guard her best smile, and Korra felt every inch of her skin burn. "Please?"

Finally, the guard faltered. “Well, as long as you’re chained up, I guess it doesn’t make a difference,” he mumbled. He helped her to her feet, and Korra had to use all her strength to keep from lashing out despite her bindings.  _It's just a plan,_  she reminded herself, eyes still locked on the beta as he looped Asami's chains around the railing.  _Asami's trying to get us out of here. She doesn't actually want to be around that stupid, pushy—_

“Thank you, sir," Asami said, giving the guard one last bat of her eyelashes. "You're too kind."

Korra seethed, setting her teeth so they wouldn't grind. Fortunately, she didn't have to suffer long. The guard seemed to sense her anger, and he hurried out of the room with only a brief backward glance in Asami's direction. As soon as he left, some of the angry fog lifted. She took a deep breath and let it out through her mask, shuddering against the straps. "Sorry," she said, a little ashamed of herself. She knew she didn't have any right to be so possessive, especially since Asami wasn't wearing her mark. They hadn't even mated yet, technically speaking.

Asami gave her a soft look before bracing one foot against the wall. "No,  _I'm_ sorry," she grunted, tugging against her chains. "I'm just... trying... to get us..." The low creak of metal echoed throughout the room, and the thin railing behind her began to bend. "...out of here." With one last groan of protest, Asami's chains gave way. She leapt over them with a graceful roll of her shoulders as they swung down to her feet.

Korra shook her head in awe, her frown turning to a smile.  _That's my girl,_  she thought. Her chest swelled with pride, and she was too relieved to worry about what the term of endearment might mean. "Nice job! But how'd you know you'd be able to get loose?"

Asami winked, and Korra felt her stomach tie itself in knots all over again. At least this time, it wasn't from unwarranted jealousy. "Shoddy worksmanship," Asami said, tapping the broken railing against one of her palms. "These airships Cabbage Corp sold to the Earth Kingdom are way cheaper than the ones Future Industries built."

"Well, it explains why you were flirting with that guard."

Asami averted her eyes. "Um, well..."

An awkward silence hung between them for several moments, and Korra had the decency to feel guilty. "You didn't do anything wrong. He's the one I wanted to tear into little bits." Some of her anger returned at the memory, and another low rumble started in her chest. "When I saw him put his hands on you... I know it's stupid, but..."

"It's not stupid." Korra blinked to see Asami standing a lot closer than she remembered. They were only a foot apart, and the sweet scent in her nose was suddenly a lot stronger. Her body tensed, but for an entirely different reason. "Maybe it's my heat, but I kind of like it. You know, the protectiveness."

"Yeah? Me too. I haven't forgotten that your face was the first thing I saw when I opened my eyes today. You got yourself kidnapped for me."

Asami shrugged. "I guess. If I'd fought harder, maybe they wouldn't have taken either of us." 

"Come on, are you kidding? I was unconscious and they had us outnumbered. And don't think I didn't notice the way you were glaring at those other guards when they wheeled me up here. I thought you were about to fight your way loose and give 'em a kick to the face."

"I was thinking a few volts to the neck instead, but they confiscated my glove," Asami sighed. "Hold on, let me check those locks."

Korra held her breath as Asami's fingertips made contact. She couldn't feel much of anything through the straitjacket and the straps holding her down, but just the sight of them running over her made her confinement more unbearable. "Sorry, there's no way I can get these off. I need the key. Hmmm..."

Asami turned her head, and Korra caught her looking at a panel on the floor. "Wait, you're not gonna leave, are you?" she asked, an edge of panic creeping into her voice.

"Only long enough to get you out of this." Asami patted the front of her straitjacket, palm resting right above her heart. "We can't finish what we started while you're all tied up." Her hand began to slide lower, past the buckles, and Korra couldn't quite stifle a moan. "Well, on second thought..."

"Hurry," Korra pleaded. "I'm going crazy trussed up in this thing."

Asami leaned in, eyes half-lidded. "Because we have to save the world, or...?"

Her whimper gave her away. "Just go. Please?"

Asami did go, but not before placing a quick kiss on the bridge of her nose, right above where her mask ended. A flush raced across her face, but she didn't have time to react before Asami was crouched on the floor, prying up a panel with what remained of the railing. "Give me five minutes, then start yelling for help. Once I get you out of there, we can save the world... and maybe get around to a few other things."

Before she could say anything, Asami slipped out of sight, leaving her alone and even more uncomfortable than before. "Seriously?  _Right now?_ " she muttered, shifting as best she could to try and ease the heavy pressure between her legs. Just the memory of Asami's lips was enough to make the all-too-noticeable bulge at the front of her pants swell even further. She grunted in annoyance and gave a few more useless tugs, but it didn't help. She was stuck until Asami came back.

While she waited, Korra tried to distract herself by counting the seconds, although she didn't do a very accurate job.  _One, two... Oh Spirits, she's gonna come back and find me like this... Five, six... Why can't I stop thinking about how good she tastes all over? I'm a prisoner here. I have bigger things to worry about. Nine, ten... Oh wow, Korra. Bad joke. Really bad joke. Okay. Twenty, twenty-one..._   _sixty. It's been five minutes, right? Close enough._

"Guards! Get in here!" The sound of slamming footsteps outside the room told her she'd been loud enough. The hatch slid open, and the same beta from before peeked inside. "Something happened to my mate," she told him, trying her best to sound worried. "She needs help."

The guard's eyes narrowed as he scanned the room. "Huh? Where is sh—unf!"

His face slid out of the way, and the door opened to reveal Asami's smug smile instead. She swayed into the room, twirling the keyring around one finger. The ache between Korra's legs became a painful, insistent throb, and she squirmed as Asami's eyes settled right on the tent at the front of her trousers. "I see Korra Junior decided to make a reappearance," she said, still staring as she sorted through the keys. 

Korra groaned in embarrassment. "You aren't actually going to call it that from now on, are you?"

Asami started unfastening her chains and unbuckling the straps across her chest. Her hands didn't linger, but Korra couldn't help but notice that they definitely made a lot of contact. "If you didn't want me to give it a nickname, you shouldn't have come up with one."

"I only said it the one time as a joke," she grumbled. The last of her bindings came free, and she tumbled down into Asami's arms. Unfortunately, the move forced her to rub right against Asami's hip. She almost wished she'd hit the ground instead.

Asami made no attempt to shift away. After a moment of shared heavy breathing, one of the omega's hands slid around her neck to unfasten her mask. The other crept between her legs, petting the strained bulge there. "If it makes you feel any better, it's no joke."

Korra whined in discomfort as her length gave another unwanted pulse against Asami's palm. She started to stumble back, more than a little afraid of ruining her pants, but then she realized that Asami's mouth was hovering directly above hers. All she needed to do was tilt her chin up a little bit and...

"Wait," Asami said, pressing a finger to her lips. The hand stroking her shaft left as well, and she nearly sobbed with disappointment. "We have to take care of the guards first. We don't want any interruptions."

The tempting body flush against hers disappeared, and Korra shuddered at the loss. Her disappointment turned to annoyance as Asami headed for the door, and she kicked at her discarded mask.  _Soon,_  she told herself, hurrying to catch up and trying to leave as much room as possible between her legs.  _Just as soon as I'm done beating up everyone who's tried to abduct me, I'm locking her in a room with me and not letting her out for at least a week._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edit: Yes, I did make a subtle romantic change to Korra's dialogue. >_> See if you can spot it.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the reviews on the last chapter! I didn't get to answer all of them, but I super appreciated them and I read every one. ;w;
> 
> This is another development chapter, but afterwards, I'm doing a big time jump (because Asami and Korra don't have much interaction past this point in the show itself, and this story is about their relationship). It's finally time for the first part of the big sex scene. :D Check back tomorrow or Tuesday.

The scent of something sharp and sweet filtered past Asami's mask, mixing with the smell of burning metal. She killed the flames on the welding torch in her hand, pausing for a second and inhaling deep. She didn't even need to look away from the rudder she was repairing to know that Korra had appeared from inside the airship. It was almost embarrassing how easily she could detect the alpha's scent, especially since she was hanging several yards in midair.

In the end, she didn't bother waiting for Korra to try and get her attention. She turned in her repair harness, smiling at the tiny figure below. Korra was instantly recognizable even amidst the sand. "How's it looking in there?" she hollered, lifting her mask like a visor to shield her eyes from the sun's glare.

Her smile grew larger when Korra waved back up at her. "Great! I just airbent all the sand out of the engine room. I think it's clean."

Asami loosened the clips holding her in place and began her descent, suddenly eager to get back to the ground. Even with several of the Earth Queen's airmen nearby, repairing various parts of the battered ship, she wanted to be as close to Korra as possible.  _Maybe I'm torturing myself,_  she thought as she landed and started over to Korra at a fast trot.  _It might be kinder to avoid her until we get some privacy..._

But she didn't follow her own advice. Her skin flared when she came to a stop a few feet in front of Korra and the soldier accompanying her. The dry desert air had nothing on Korra's ability to make her feel overheated. She stripped off her jacket and tied the arms around her waist, baring her neck and arms for a little extra relief. Unfortunately, exposing more of her skin to the sun, and to Korra's burning gaze, didn't help. Sweat gathered at the base of her spine, and more trickled along her hairline.

"H-how's it going out here?" Korra stammered after an awkward clear of her throat. Asami noticed the way her eyes darted back and forth, soaking her in one moment, avoiding her the next. "Any progress? You looked like you were pretty busy up there."

Asami shifted her weight to one hip. She knew it was cruel, but part of her wanted to see if she could make Korra sweat too. Suffering alone didn't seem very appealing. She swept a few strands of damp hair that had escaped her ponytail off of her neck, arching in a pretend stretch. She silently congratulated herself when her target's attention dropped straight to her cleavage. Korra's forehead began to glisten, and Asami caught her chewing at her lower lip.

"Ugh, that harness put a few kinks in my back. The ship's still pretty banged up, but I think she might be able to limp out of the desert." She turned around and waved at one of the other soldiers to get his attention, offering Korra a brief glimpse of her ass.  _Hopefully she can still see some of it under my jacket._  "Kong, want to see if you can get the engine started? We're almost ready to go."

"Aye aye!" the airman said, throwing her a salute.

Asami was extremely proud of herself when she turned back and saw that Korra was still staring. Her eyes were full of longing, and Asami almost felt guilty for teasing her. Almost. "You want to go in with him?" she asked, closing a little more of the distance between them. Korra swallowed, and the swell at the front of her pants gave a slight twitch. "You look pretty hot. Maybe you've had too much sun?"

"No," Korra protested, a little too quickly. "I'm an airbender, remember? I'm my own fan. And we can regulate our body temperature. Tenzin... uh..."

Asami smiled as Korra's voice trailed off. She continued to tug on the collar of her shirt, pretending to try and get some air beneath the clinging fabric.  _Good. The last thing I want to hear about right now is Tenzin._  "Well, maybe you can send a little of that air my way. I definitely got too much sun while I was hanging up there."

It took a moment for her words to penetrate Korra's obvious fog, but when they did, she received a slightly nervous, slightly excited nod. "Sure. No problem. Just, um, stand there, I guess?"

Asami stood in place, holding out her arms and pretending to close her eyes. "Here?" she asked, even though it didn't matter.

Just as she had hoped, warm hands settled on her hips, moving her a few steps closer. "Maybe a little more like this," Korra murmured. Her voice had dropped in pitch, and a pleasant shiver raced down Asami's spine at the obvious desire in it. She hoped Korra would take the hint and steal a kiss instead of actually trying to cool her off. "There you go. Hold still..."

A sudden blast of air hit her full in the face, and she shouted in surprise, stumbling away from Korra and lifting up a hand to protect herself. She scowled, spitting sand out of her mouth and shoving a hand through her disheveled hair. The grind of the propellers coming to life told her that Korra had not been the culprit, but even if they hadn't, the horrified, disappointed expression on the alpha's face would have.

"All right!" one of the guard cheered from nearby. "We're up and running again."

Instead of sulking, Asami tried to look at the positives. The sooner they fixed the airship, the sooner she and Korra could find a private room somewhere with a bed and a lock.  _Or just a room. I don't even care about the bed or the lock anymore._

"Looks like we can head out," she said, aiming another seductive look in Korra's direction. She reached out, ghosting her fingertips along one of Korra's muscular arms and watching the reaction to her touch travel all the way down. "Let's head aboard and—"

The ground beneath them shuddered and a geyser of sand exploded around them, pluming above their heads. Asami tried to scream, but no sound came out. A giant pair of jaws filled with rows and rows of teeth burst through the desert floor, closing around the body of the airship. Metal screeched, the earth rumbled, and the ocean of sand curled into a tidal wave, rushing toward them at astonishing speed.

Asami turned on her heels and barreled into a sprint, only pausing for the split-second it took to make sure Korra was beside her. Air buffeted her back, and she knew Korra was helping her along, but it wasn’t enough. There was no way they could outrun the tsunami. As a last resort, she dove forward, throwing her hands over her head and hoping the wind whipping around her would be enough protection.

By the time the dust settled, she was half-buried in a mountain of sand. Her legs wouldn’t move, and it wasn’t until Korra helped haul her out that she could begin to kick herself free. She collapsed backwards into Korra’s strong arms and sighed with relief. Her alpha’s scent washed over her, and her heart rate began to calm.  _Thank goodness both of us got out of that one alive._  She glanced around the wreckage, pleased to see the soldiers crawling out of their own holes. Even Kong had survived inside the airship, left alone in the abandoned pilot’s chair and paralyzed with fear.

“I think it's gone now,” Korra called out, shielding her eyes from the sun with her hand and scanning the horizon.

The crew wasn’t reassured. “What are we going to do?” the male beta from earlier asked, his voice nearly frantic with fear. “All of our supplies were on the ship. We've got no food, no water…”

“Easy, Arik,” said the captain, brushing off his jacket. “Another ship is on the way. We just need to hold our position for a few hours.”

Asami frowned. The ground beneath them wasn’t shaking anymore, but that didn’t mean the giant creature was gone. It probably wouldn’t find the metal body of the airship a very satisfying meal. “We might not have a few hours,” she pointed out. “That thing could decide to come back for us. We need to find a way out of her as soon as possible.”

The soldiers didn’t look convinced, but Korra nodded her head. “How far are we from the edge of the desert?”

“Too far to walk, if that's what you're thinking,” the captain said.

While the rest of the crew bickered among themselves, Asami took stock of the bits and pieces left behind. There was a good deal of scrap metal sticking out of the sand. Not enough to get the ship airborne again, but perhaps they didn’t have to. An idea struck, and she smiled. “Maybe we can still build something to get us all out of here.”

The captain rolled his eyes. “You want to make some wings out of scrap metal and flap real hard?”

Asami resisted the temptation to growl at him. Her heat and another near-death experience had set her on edge, but there wasn’t time to argue. “No, but we might have enough material to construct a makeshift sand-sailer. You know, like the sandbenders use to get around. All we need is a sail and some kind of sled to attach it to.”

“It's worth a try,” Korra said, her voice bright with hope. Asami’s smile returned.  _At least the one person I care about thinks my ideas are good_.

Eventually, the captain gave in. “Gather every piece of metal you can find,” he barked, pointing at the crew. “We'll give that sandy beast a run for his money yet.”

The ‘run’ turned out to be more of a slow crawl. Even with the help of Korra’s airbending, digging out the large hunks of scrap they needed was hot, exhausting work. Soon, Asami abandoned her jacket completely, tying her shirt in a knot beneath her breasts and piling her hair even higher on top of her head to keep it off her neck. She was almost disappointed that Korra didn’t adopt the same modifications to her outfit. Still, her shirt clung to her stomach muscles in delicious ways. Pausing to admire them were the only breaks Asami took.

She caught Korra glancing over at her fairly often as well. Each time, it made her heart flutter. The alpha growled whenever anyone else’s eyes strayed, but her own seemed to roam everywhere, lingering on every inch of bare skin. When Korra chose to work close beside her, occasionally letting their arms brush, Asami didn’t object. She was grateful for the company, the contact, and the silent offer of protection.

Finally, as the beating sun overhead began to sink and cast the landscape into a softer shade of pink, they had something resembling a sled. Asami paced alongside one of the runners, examining it for any structural weaknesses. Its shape and seams weren’t pretty, but they were solid enough. Hopefully, they wouldn’t get bogged down by sand on the way. “She ain't pretty, but I think she'll do the job,” she said, taking off her gloves and brushing her damp hands on her pants.

She stole a quick glance to her left to see if Korra was staring again, but for once, the Avatar’s attention wasn’t on her. Instead, she was watching a large, black shape sail closer and closer, cutting through the sand like a knife. “No time for a test run,” she said, hopping onto the sled. “Let's move!”

Asami scurried up after her, taking her position at the helm. She barely got her hands around it before another rumble shook the earth behind them, and she whipped around to look over her shoulder. The giant beast from before burst out of the ground, and this time, she had a clear view. It was a sand shark, so enormous she couldn’t take its bulk in all at once. Its size was staggering, and the rig nearly shuddered to pieces as the beast dove back into the ocean of sand beside them.

She didn’t have time to be stunned. Korra tugged her arm, shaking her out of her stupor. “Asami, we’ve gotta go! That thing’s coming back around for another try.”

Asami returned her attention to steering as Korra filled the sails, ballooning them with huge gusts of wind. They skidded forward, hopping at first, but eventually cut a neat groove through the desert. Dust billowed around the runners as they raced over the dunes, but the loud shudder and shifting sand behind them continued. The sailer lurched forward each time the sand shark crashed back into the earth.

Finally, as they crested a sweeping mountain, the rumbling noises seemed to stop. The desert went silent except for the soft hiss of the runners and the steady whoosh of Korra’s airbending.

“I think he's gone,” Arik said, throwing up his hands in triumph. “We did it!”

At that exact moment, the ground beneath them dissolved. The sand sailer gave a sickening drop, disappearing into the roaring black gullet of the giant shark’s mouth. Asami abandoned the rudder, not caring that she might slip. She groped for the last place she had seen Korra, forgetting to breathe when her fingers found nothing. Nothing. Korra was gone, too far to grasp…  _Korra!_

A bright flare pierced the darkness around them, blossoming like fireworks. The flash of light illuminated Korra’s outstretched arms, a pillar of flame pouring from her palms, and Asami nearly wept with relief as they soared back into the sunlight. They slammed back to the ground and she grabbed the rudder again, ignoring the tight knot of nausea in her stomach.

 _Why did I have to go and fall in love with the Avatar like a complete fool?_ she thought as biting threads of sand whipped across her face.  _I’m actually getting used to almost dying twice a day._ Another thought struck her, and her eyes welled with tears.  _Maybe it’s not that Korra doesn’t love me the way I love her. Maybe she knows her life is always going to be like this and she doesn’t want either of us to get too attached…_

She remained lost in confusion and sadness long after the sand shark swam away and the crew stopped cheering. Her mind circled back through the same questions, and she steered on autopilot, not even sparing many glances in Korra’s direction. It was almost a surprise when the outline of a village appeared in the distance. She hadn’t even noticed the passing time. They glided right up to the stone wall surrounding the city, coming to a graceful stop beside the gates.

Asami heard the familiar sound of Korra’s laugh, and she turned to see a group of sandbenders staring at them in disbelief. Four swaddled figures were perched on their own rig, all wearing identical expressions of surprise from what little she could see of their faces. She sighed, forcing a smile as the mast and sails collapsed beside her. “Hey. You wanna buy a slightly used sand-sailer?”


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so, so sorry this isn't the smut I promised. That's coming early tomorrow morning. But I realized I needed to clarify Korra's feelings for Asami (and her reluctance to acknowledge them) one more time before they consummated their relationship. Please, please forgive me. ;w; I didn't mean to do this, but as I was re-watching the end of Season 3 for reference, this scene jumped out at me, especially since Asami was the one who sat with Korra while she was meditating.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Korra? You don't have to hunt Zaheer by yourself. The others are doing everything they can already."

Korra sat down in the small circle of rocks surrounding the lone tree she had chosen and gave a deep sigh. She had hoped Suyin's garden would provide her with the peace and clarity she needed to meditate, but so far, it wasn't working. Part of it was the scent of Asami's heat filling her nose and making her head swim, but she had almost gotten used to existing in a constant state of arousal. Instead, it was the churning, sick feeling in her gut that distracted her.

Meditation required strict control. Acknowledging emotions and then letting them go was the only way to cross the barrier between the physical world and the Spirit World. But some of the emotions she felt were too terrifying to acknowledge. She hated that Zaheer was going to wipe out the Airbenders because of her. She hated that Ba Sing Se was burning and she hadn't been there to help. And in the midst of all the pain and chaos caused by the Red Lotus, by the fact that she hadn't done  _enough,_ here she was, worrying about her relationship with Asami.

 _It's not even a relationship,_  she told herself.  _I'm just helping with her heat. Our friendship and Team Avatar don't have to fall apart under pressure like everything else I touch._  But no matter how many times she tried to convince herself, she still didn't believe it. When she realized Asami was still waiting for an answer, she reluctantly raised her eyes. "Yes," she said, crossing her legs and resting her forearms on her thighs. "I'm the Avatar. If I don't do this, who will?"

"All the other people trying to help you," Asami said. A soft hand rested on her shoulder, and Korra almost flinched under the gentle touch. Even though she and Asami had become more physically intimate, she still didn't understand how a simple gesture could undo her so completely. She wasn't sure if she'd ever get used to it. "You don't have to fight Zaheer alone, in the Spirit World or anywhere else. I'm here, Mako and Bolin are here, your father and Lin and Suyin are here..."

Korra stopped listening as the names continued. Her mind, which was supposed to be empty of all worldly cares, had latched selfishly on to those two words.  _'I'm here...'_  It was all she wanted. The only thing she wanted. She wanted Asami—smart, brave, beautiful, loyal Asami—to stay with her forever. And she felt crushed under the weight of the knowledge that she couldn't have everything she wanted. She couldn't even have the one thing she wanted.

She reached out, placing her palm over the one on her shoulder. Then, slowly, she moved Asami's hand away and placed it back in her lap. "I need to do this," she said, her voice soft and resigned. "The Air Nation is my responsibility. Dealing with Zaheer is my responsibility."

The worry line in the middle of Asami's forehead furrowed deeper. "I'm not saying they aren't. But that doesn't mean I can't help you. I..."

Somehow, Korra knew the words Asami was holding back. They were exactly what she had been afraid of. Exactly what she wanted, but couldn't allow herself to have. Not just for the world's sake, but for Asami's. She gave Asami's hand one last squeeze before unlacing their fingers and returning her arm to the top of her thigh.  _After her heat, this will all go back to normal. She'll realize this could never work. She'll understand that she doesn't want to be with the Avatar, that sex isn't enough to keep two people together when everything else is falling apart._

"You can help," she said, unable to bear Asami's hurt for another second. "You are helping. You're helping by being my friend, by watching over me. You were the first to volunteer to look out for me back there… and I know it’s not just because you finally saw a chance to get a few minutes alone with me."

Asami looked as though she wanted to protest, but in the end, she remained silent. She nodded her head, and Korra closed her eyes.

It took several minutes of quiet breathing for her to sort out the mess in her mind. Each thread of thought she followed had a painful end, and most of them were tangled in a knot around Asami's name. But with every rise and fall of her chest, each slow beat of her heart, she severed herself a little more from her emotions, and from the woman she was swiftly becoming dependent on. Finally, she cut the last string tying her down.  _It doesn't matter if she loves me, or even if I love her. Only this matters. Only saving the world._

When she opened her eyes, she was no longer sitting in the rock garden. Instead, she was standing on a misty yellow hill in Xai Bau's Grove.She clenched her fists, scanning the horizon through the fog. "Zaheer, come out and face me! Leave the airbenders out of this."  _Come pay for the precious things you're making me give up._ She listened intently, but the grove remained silent except for the useless echo of her own voice.

Still, she couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. She was certain she wasn't alone. She whipped around on instinct, catching sight of a shadowy figure climbing up the hill through the mist. Her hands clenched into fists, and she prepared to meet the intruder head-on. "There you are..."

But the figure didn't charge. Instead, they held up their hands, and some of the fog cleared to reveal a familiar, friendly face. "Please don't hurt me, Korra," Iroh said, smiling as he reached the top of the hill. "I'm just an old man.

Korra blinked in surprise. "Iroh? What are you doing here?"

"I was just out searching for a new teapot to add to my collection. But instead, I found you." His eyes crinkled with laughter. "In the Spirit World, you always seem to find something you don't know you were looking for. But you look troubled..."

There was no use denying it. Even in the Spirit World, her hurt hadn't gone away. "I am."

"Sit," Iroh said, and Korra felt a strange sense of relief as she joined him on the ground. She crossed her legs again, resting the heels of her hands just above her knees and slumping over in exhaustion. "What is on your mind, Korra?"

"There's a maniac on the loose and he's threatening to destroy the new Air Nation." She sighed, knowing that wasn't the whole truth, and hating herself for allowing a part of her heart to hold on to anything less important. Her conflicted feelings for Asami were such a small problem in comparison, but they still dominated her thoughts. "I don't know what to do."

Iroh nodded in understanding. "Just because you are the Avatar doesn't mean you will have all the answers."

Korra lowered her gaze to her lap. For some reason, staring at Iroh's face reminded her of Asami. Perhaps it was the concern there, the silent reassurance that she was doing all she could. Maybe it was just because every caring face became Asami's face when she looked long enough. But somehow, she still felt incredibly alone. "I know many Avatars have needed guidance, but I'm the only one since Avatar Wan that can't get help from my past lives. I wish I could talk to Aang."  _I wish I could ask him how he did it. How he saved the world and got the girl without screwing everything up like me._

"You know, Zuko and Aang were close friends," Iroh said.

Korra considered what he had said for a moment. Lord Zuko wouldn't be able to solve her problems with Asami, but maybe he could offer her some guidance about Zaheer and the Airbenders. That was the more important problem anyway. Dealing with her own pain could wait until they were safe. "Lord Zuko? Do you really think he could help me?"

"Yes. His relationship with my nephew started off a little rocky..." He waggled his hand, and the smile in his eyes returned. "But they grew to become lifelong friends. Best friends."

The word  _best friends_  made Korra’s stomach sink, but at the same time, her heart lifted with hope.  _Just focus on the Airbenders. That's a problem you can fix. It's your job to fix it._  "Thank you so much, Iroh," she said, leaning in closer to him. "You're right about the Spirit World. I came here looking for someone else, but I'm glad I found you."

"You might not always be sure of the person you're looking for, Korra. But what's true in the Spirit World is true in the physical world as well. If you reach out, the person you are supposed to find will find you as well."

Korra closed her eyes, finally allowing herself to relax.  _Perhaps it won't be such a bad thing to ask for help. Maybe..._

"Did you find Zaheer?" Asami's worried voice whispered close beside her cheek, and Korra opened her eyes to see soft lips hovering a few inches away from hers. She ignored her first instinct, which was to take them in a kiss, and smiled instead.

"No, he wasn't there. But there's someone I need to talk to."


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You're in luck. I'm posting TWO chapters today! This one is the build-up, next one is the first half of the smut. :D

"And give them the high ground? No. If their lavabender spots us, he'll melt the mountainside and us with it."

Asami barely listened to the heated argument going on around her. While Bolin, Mako, Lin, Suyin, and Tonraq huddled over the map, discussing strategy with increasingly loud voices, her gaze drifted over to Korra. She stood away from the rest of the group, gazing out the window with her back turned. But even though Asami couldn't see Korra's face, she knew exactly what she would find there. Tension. Worry. Guilt.  _You're still blaming yourself for everything Zaheer has done, aren't you?_

Ever since Korra's second trip to the Spirit World, her attitude had changed. Her usual brash fearlessness had become quiet resignation, and Asami hated the distance it had put between them. Less than a day before, she and Korra had been ready to tear each other's clothes off. Now, even though her heat was worse than ever, there was a strange tension between them, something that wasn't explicitly sexual. Asami hated the uncertainty, but she had no idea where they stood. She could smell Korra's need seeping from her every pore, but at the same time, the alpha had made every effort to avoid her. It was almost as if she didn't want them to mate anymore. Almost as if...

 _No._  Asami looked closer, trying to catch a glimpse of Korra's face in the window. The reflection was blurry, but what she could make out sent a lance of pain through her heart.  _You aren't actually going to suggest it. You can't._

A shrill whistle broke off her dark train of thought. Beside her, Bolin had his hands cupped over his mouth, and everyone else's faces were set in identical grimaces.

"Bird calls?" Mako asked. His thick eyebrows lowered in annoyance as he folded his arms over his chest. "Really?"

"Well, I haven't noticed you offering any suggestions," Bolin pouted.

"It doesn't matter." Asami turned back to the window at the sound of Korra's voice, and this time, the rest of the group followed. Korra remained facing away, but her every word was clear, as if she had been considering them in her head for some time. "None of these ideas will work. The second Zaheer realizes we're up to something, he'll wipe out the airbenders."

"And Opal is one of those airbenders," Suyin said. "Believe me, I understand what's at stake."

"Then I'll think you agree." Korra turned, and Asami's stomach lurched.

_Please. Don't say it. Don't say you're going to leave me._

"The only plan that will work is for me to give myself up."

The protests started at once.

"What?"

"Korra, no."

"We'll figure out another way."

Asami tried to form words of their own— _No, you can't, I need you, I love you—_ but her lips refused to move. She remained silent while everyone else spoke up, swallowed by grief bordering on numbness.

"I talked it over with Lord Zuko, and I've given it a lot of thought. I have to do this."

 _No. No, you don't have to do this. You can stay here, safe with us. You can let us help you._  At last, the lump lodged in her throat loosened enough for her to speak. "You can't expect us to sit by and let Zaheer take you!"

Korra stared straight ahead, refusing to meet her eyes and fixing her gaze on everyone else instead. "The world has been out of balance for far too long. It needs the Air Nation back again. I can't let Zaheer destroy it and everyone we love. Help me save the airbenders. Then you can worry about saving me."

Asami cast a desperate glance at Tonraq, hoping that if Korra wouldn't listen to her, she would at least listen to her father. But Tonraq was nodding his reluctant agreement. In fact, he almost looked proud. "We're with you, Korra."

The others followed his lead, and Asami remained frozen in shock as they all started offering support. Their voices became a quiet roar in her ears, and she couldn't make out individual words. She stared at Korra's face, unable to look away, praying their gazes would meet.  _Tell me this isn't happening. Tell me you have another plan, a real plan to get yourself out of this safely. Tell me you aren't going to go._

She never got the reassurance she wanted.

"I'll go radio Zaheer," Korra said, still refusing to look at her. The alpha's voice was soft, but her face remained set with determination. Asami knew that look. After all their adventures together, it was intimately familiar. The bunch of her jaw, the furrow in her brow, the slight narrowing of her eyes. Korra was prepared to do whatever it took to stop Zaheer, even if it meant sacrificing herself. And there was a very real possibility that such a sacrifice would be necessary.

Asami ached to reach out with every fiber of her being, but she didn't move when Korra left the room. She didn't move when the door shut. She didn't move when everyone else turned back to the map, still trying to come up with a plan. She knew she should help, but she couldn't force her brain to work. It was stuck on one terrifying thought.  _She's going to leave me. She's going to leave me. She's going to—_

"Asami?"

She blinked and turned toward Mako, surprised to feel hot tears running down her cheeks. She hurried to swipe them away, but it didn't seem as though anyone else had noticed. Only Mako was looking at her, his face pulled with concern.

"Go after her. She won't be at the radio long, and we're a couple of hours out from the Northern Air Temple. I think the rest of us will be here a while."

Asami knew what he was suggesting, but the thought didn't bring the same pleasant burn it usually did. She hadn't believed it was possible, but her body's needs suddenly didn't seem all that important. Her heat didn't matter. Nothing mattered. Korra didn't love her enough to stay, and she had never felt so empty. But...  _But can I afford to give up this chance? This could be our last few hours together. My last chance to tell her how I feel. To show her she's more than just the Avatar, more than just a friend._

Somewhere deep inside, she felt her fire return. Love wasn't only desire and lust, and it wasn't only happiness and smiles. It was fear and loss and pain, but she still couldn't bear to give it up. If she was going to be in love with Korra, she would be all the way in love. She would embrace the hurt she felt just as she had embraced the joy, and she would cling to it until there was nothing left.

"Okay, Mako," she whispered, dipping her head in thanks. "If anyone comes looking for us..."

He gave her a tender smile, although it was threaded with sadness. "I'll make sure they don't."

She wrapped him in a tight hug, letting a few final tears fall onto his shirt. Mako's support, support he absolutely didn't need to give, was a little overwhelming. "Thank you. For everything."

He let his hand run up and down her back for a moment, and then let her go without lingering. "Hey, Korra said it. We're Team Avatar." He didn't need to say anything else. She understood what he meant. Without any more hesitation, she headed for the door, leaving the others behind before they could notice.

It didn't take her long to reach the control room. She was determined, and her urgency increased her pace. When she finally reached the door, she felt a curious sense of relief. With everything else so uncertain, at least she was sure of one thing. She wanted this, wanted Korra, with everything she was.

Korra stepped out into the hall before she could even knock, her somber expression shifting to one of surprise. "Asami? What are you doing here?"

Asami didn't bother answering. She didn't want a conversation, and she definitely didn't want to know what Zaheer had said. Instead, she slid one of her hands around the back of Korra's neck, pulling her in for a string of hard, deep kisses.

At first, the line of Korra's body remained stiff against hers, but it relaxed once their lips found each other. "Don't." Kiss. "Talk," she murmured into Korra's mouth. "Just." Kiss. "Come..." The tug she gave to the swell of Korra's bottom lip caused firm hands to seize her waist. "With me." Korra hesitated again, as if she was uncertain, and her firm grip faltered. But Asami didn't give her time to change her mind. "Please?" she begged, with every bit of desire she could force into her voice. "I need this. I need you."

Asami saw the moment Korra gave in. A haze of lust clouded her alpha's eyes, and she watched in awe as the weight of responsibility visibly melted away. Korra stood tall and strong, newfound confidence swelling inside her body. This time, Asami was the one left breathless as her lips were caught in another kiss. It was sloppy, a little too eager, but somehow just right all the same. She didn't want perfection. What she needed was Korra, every piece of her, rough edges and all, for as long as she could hold on to her.

 


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a NSFW drawing at the end of this one that AcrobaticRabbit did for me! :D Please leave nice comments on her amazing art!!! n-n
> 
> http://acrobaticrabbit.deviantart.com/art/Korrasami-Omegaverse-549258467

The next minute rushed by in a blur. They stumbled to privacy together, still kissing, slipping groans and sighs into each other’s mouths. Clothes were only a distraction. They stripped as soon as the steam of the empty engine room hit, tearing eagerly at each other with every step.  _Naked,_  Asami thought as her fingers dug in to the frustrating texture of fabric instead of flesh.  _We need to be naked._

It took her a few tries to lift Korra’s shirt over her head, because her alpha didn’t seem to want to give her up. Korra’s mouth was everywhere at once: hungry against hers, nipping at her neck, sliding down to her collarbone. For one piercing moment, Asami wished Korra would mark her. Not just a temporary bruise like the ones that already littered her throat and shoulders, but a promise. A bite-mark deep enough to stick through anything and change her down to her core. She would have worn it proudly even after Korra’s death, but she didn’t know how to ask.  _And it wouldn’t be fair to ask. Not when she’s about to sacrifice herself._

Still, she couldn’t stop herself from offering the rest of her body. She kicked off her shoes and yanked off her shirt, tossing it to the floor in a heap on top of her abandoned jacket. Korra dropped to help with her pants, nails raking along her belly and upper thighs as she pulled them down. The sight of the powerful alpha kneeling before her sent a flash of heat straight between Asami's legs. She remembered how wonderful Korra's mouth had felt during their last stolen moments together, but somehow, she knew that wouldn't be enough.

"Up," she pleaded, urging Korra back to her feet. But Korra was already standing, peeling her own shirt away. Asami had to clutch the pipe behind her for support. She had never had the pleasure of seeing Korra completely naked before, and the sight was incredible. Her gaze roamed from Korra's broad shoulders to her tight abdomen, trying to take it all in. The alpha was all bronze skin stretched tight over sleek muscle. Her full breasts were capped with thick brown nipples, and they were already hard despite the sweltering heat.

Instinctively, Asami's eyes skimmed down to the juncture of Korra's thighs. The thick shaft of Korra's cock was at full attention, its head an angry, vivid red and its base already swelling with the beginning of a knot. Wetness dripped from its tip, sliding down along the firm length in short pulses, and Asami felt her inner walls clench with need. She wanted Korra inside of her. All the way inside her this time, stretching her until she screamed and every other thought in her head shattered under the pressure.

Suddenly, she realized they were both staring. She and Korra were standing a foot apart, well within reach of each other, but they weren't actually touching. She couldn't bear to wait any longer. She took Korra's hand, locking their fingers together and dragging her forward. Their bodies met face to face, and Asami forgot how to breathe as Korra surged against her, pinning her to the engine room wall.

Korra was a mess on top of her, panting, grinding, trapping her against the hot metal. Each desperate snap of the alpha's hips was a little too forceful, a little off-center. The head of Korra’s cock caught her entrance again and again, but the angle was all wrong while they were standing. Instead of sinking inside, it teased the tight ring of muscle whenever she tilted her hips forward, slipping too far and gliding over her clit. She might have been able to stand such horrible bliss before, but this time, Asami had no intention of letting Korra come anywhere but inside her. Her heat wouldn’t accept anything less.

“Off,” she rasped, shoving at Korra’s shoulders.

Korra didn’t hear her at first, or if she did, she wasn’t able to process the words. She growled in frustration, seizing the soft heartbeat that lived beneath Asami’s jaw with the blunt edges of her teeth. Asami gasped at the possessive gesture, but it wasn’t enough to dissuade her. She let Korra’s shaft slide through her wetness a few more times, then tried again. It took every ounce of strength she possessed, but somehow, she managed to reverse their positions. She ripped away from the wall, whirling their tangled bodies around until Korra’s shoulders slammed against it instead.

That finally got Korra’s attention. Asami felt the hold on her throat go slack, and soft blue eyes stared at her with a mixture of surprise and hurt. The worry and sadness there tugged at her heart. She stroked the side of Korra’s flushed face, brushing away a few damp strands of hair that had slipped out of her braids. “It’s all right,” she cooed, not waiting for a response. She could tell that Korra was already beyond speech, teetering on the edge of surrendering to the animal that lived within her. “Just lie down, okay? I’ll take care of it.”

Korra huffed, rolling her hips despite being pinned to the wall.  _Poor thing._ Asami could feel the thick length of the alpha’s cock trapped against her belly, throbbing with need and spilling all over her abdomen.She took the heavy shaft in her hand and gave it a few swift pumps. More wetness ran over her fingers, welling up every time she squeezed the start of the knot at the base. _You won’t last much longer. I have to get you inside._

“ _Please,_ ” she said again, trailing a hot line of kisses along Korra’s cheek. Instead of making it an order, she added a tinge of need to her voice, letting all her desire show through. Korra would never allow herself to be dominated in this state. Demands wouldn’t get her anywhere, but perhaps begging would. “Don’t you want to be in me?”

Korra’s muscles bunched, and for a moment, Asami was certain she would be thrown to the ground and mounted. But at last, Korra yielded. She sagged down to the floor with a choked whimper, clutching the pipes for balance, trembling the whole way. The expression on her face was so full of longing that Asami couldn’t help herself. Korra wasn’t quite lying down, but sitting with her back to the wall would have to be good enough. Besides, the pipes Korra was clinging to would make for nice handholds.

“That’s it,” she hummed as she sank to her knees, straddling Korra’s lean hips. They twitched beneath her before she even made contact, and the straining shaft of Korra’s cock bobbed as she tried to bury it in empty air. Asami slid her hands down Korra’s heaving chest, cupping her bare breasts, thumbing the tight nipples to hardness. Sweat pooled above Korra’s collarbone, and Asami leaned forward, flicking her tongue through the tempting salt. “Just relax. Let's get you in, and then you can do whatever you want.”

Korra’s hazy blue eyes lit up and her length pulsed at the promise. Shining pearls of wetness rolled from her open slit, coating her broad head and a good portion of her shaft as the bulging knot beneath began to swell. Asami bit her lip. If she didn’t hurry, it would be too large to fit inside her. Korra was thicker than anything or anyone else she had ever taken. She leaned forward, gripping the pipe beside Korra’s head with one hand and holding her alpha’s firm cock with the other.

With Korra under her instead of on top, it was easier to angle herself correctly. She didn’t tease, positioning Korra’s tip right against her entrance on the first pass. Korra’s hands left the wall, shooting out to grab her hips, and Asami allowed it. Once she took Korra inside and showed her how to get started, she was more than willing to let the alpha guide their pace. She started to sink down, hissing a little as the widest part of the head stretched her opening. The crown was very broad, and it stung a little as it parted her tender muscles.  _Oh, Spirits. If she feels this big already, how am I supposed to take the rest of her?_

But she was determined. Every inch of her quivered at the thought of having Korra’s cock buried to the hilt within her. She needed it more than breathing. She continued lowering herself, removing her hand from Korra’s shaft and rubbing swift circles over her own clit instead. She almost sobbed with relief at the contact. Korra had been too overwhelmed to touch her there intentionally, and each stroke of her own fingers brought waves of bliss and eager pulses of wetness. The extra slickness was enough. Korra’s head sank into her with a slippery, clicking pop, and she cried out at the fullness.

The next several inches were easy. As Korra shifted and tensed and squirmed beneath her, struggling to hold still and fighting her instinct to thrust, Asami began a steady rise and fall, taking a little more each time. Korra’s cock was so strained that Asami could feel it pounding inside her. Each ripple of want made her inner walls flutter in response. Korra tugged at her hips, trying to pull her further down, and Asami winced as she went a bit too far. She caught against the start of Korra’s knot, which had already swelled much further than planned. “Easy,” she said even as she started rocking against it, removing her fingers so she could grind the stiff bud of her clit into the firm flesh. “I don’t know if I can…”

But she wanted to. A knife of desire tore through Asami's belly at the thought of taking Korra inside of her,  _all the way_  inside of her, regardless of the consequences. And Korra wanted it, too. The alpha began kissing the slope of her chest, catching the point of her nipple with firm teeth and tugging possessively. The heat of Korra’s mouth, the mix of pain and pleasure, helped her get started. She slid down a little at a time, slowly taking the thick bulge inside. It pulsed against her, already full and swollen, and she flinched even as her muscles grasped eagerly at the intrusion.

Asami didn’t manage to take the widest part before Korra lost all control. The slick warmth around her nipple pulled away, and the already-desperate grip on her hips became bruising. She shivered as the shaft inside of her swelled, but her body reacted on instinct. She squeezed down deliberately, working as much of Korra’s length as she could with her inner walls. Every single thought flew from her mind except one, and she might have even sobbed it aloud in a broken string. “ _Please, Korra... oh please fill me—oh... please fill me pleasefillmeplease…”_

For a split second, the lean hips beneath hers held perfectly still. Then, they surged up. Korra’s knot gave a powerful throb, hard enough to tease the stiff bud of Asami's clit. Shuddering ripples raced up along Korra’s shaft, and Asami forgot how to breathe as a hot burst of come splashed inside of her. It filled her in sharp streams, shooting deeper than she had thought possible. Korra’s teeth latched onto her shoulder, and Asami felt the low vibration of a growl along her skin with every hard jet that pumped into her.

_Spirits, you’re—you’re so deep, filling me with so much. I want it all. But I can’t come, or I’ll..._

Asami tried to savor it, tried to enjoy Korra’s release without tipping over into her own, but she couldn’t help it. Her traitorous inner muscles started to quake, and she screamed to the ceiling as her orgasm ripped through her. The contractions did just what she feared they would. As she came, a gush of her own wetness spilled around the knot beneath her opening, carrying a tide of Korra’s come with it. Korra continued emptying into her, but it only added to the overflow. Their releases mixed together, flooding out across their tense thighs.

“No,” she howled, rocking down desperately, trying to take Korra all the way inside. “No, no,  _nonono_ …” But there was nothing to be done. Tears of frustration streamed down Asami's face as Korra spent inside her, finishing with a few weak pulses. The only thing that stopped her agony, that kept her from going completely insane, was the fact that Korra’s cock was still hard. The knot pulsing at her entrance was as thick as ever, still firm and straining with need. Korra had to have at least one more orgasm built up. This time, Asami would make sure they formed a proper tie so none of it would escape.

Asami dismounted as quickly as possible on shaking legs, ignoring the way her inner muscles spasmed painfully at the loss. The abrupt emptiness nearly made her pass out, but somehow, she found the strength to find a grip on the pipes. She cast a searing look back over her shoulder, lifting her hips and spreading her thighs as wide as she could. “Please,” she sobbed, the only word she could manage. “Please, Korra…”

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those curious, mating bites in this universe have to be reciprocal to stick. When a mated pair bite each other at the same time, their saliva literally changes their partner's body chemistry. That's what 'bonding' refers to, and it means that the omega's heats no longer affect all the other alphas and betas around them.
> 
> I headcanon that an omega whose mate has died or abandoned them can find another partner, but the scar of their original mating bite sticks around too. It's a lasting impression.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More NSFW, and more lovely art from AcrobaticRabbit! Go give her some love on deviantart.
> 
> http://acrobaticrabbit.deviantart.com/art/Korrasami-Omegaverse-continued-554249274
> 
> Please let me know what you thought of this chapter. :D Also, please let me know if you think I need to write out Korra's fight with Zaheer. Honestly, part of me just wants to go to the epilogue from here because everyone already knows what happens in the canon storyline, and Korra and Asami barely interact in the final battle. But I don't want my readers to think the ending was rushed. Let me know if you think it's ok to skip to the epilogue, or if I need to write out parts of Venom of the Red Lotus. I'm torn and could use some opinions.

“Asami!”

It was the only word her lips would form. The only thought in her head.  _Asami. Mine. My mate. Have to get back inside._ She let out a groan as she stared at Asami’s swollen outer lips, still puffy from their previous fucking and absolutely covered in her. The hard bundle of Asami's clit was completely exposed, its hood pushed all the way back, begging for a hand or mouth to tug its pretty red tip. The slick ring of her entrance pulsed as well, searching for something to grip, and Korra growled as thick white ribbons of her release slipped out with each needy flutter.

Not this time. No more stalling or half-steps. She was going to fill Asami with every inch of her knot and every drop of her come no matter what. It was all she wanted. All she needed. She staggered to her feet and lunged forward, seizing hold of Asami’s thighs and lining herself up. For once, she didn’t miss. The head of her shaft probed at Asami’s opening, and within moments, she was sliding inside, panting as warmth grasped her sensitive tip.

Asami let out a needy yelp as she worked in the widest part of her head, but it wasn’t a sound of pain. The sharp cry of acceptance destroyed the final scraps of Korra's self-control. She had held it together before, mostly because she hadn’t known what she was doing and was too overwhelmed to figure it out. But as she sank into tight, shivering silk and Asami pushed back into her thrusts, arching and lifting her ass to be filled and mounted, Korra surrendered to her instincts. Her hips snapped forward as she gave in to her rut, slamming several more inches into the blissful heat without stopping.

_Spirits! You're so hot. Warm. Tight. I've never felt anything like..._

Thrusting was glorious. Even with her knot still outside, Asami’s velvety walls felt  _so good_. She let out a hoarse moan when she realized that the fluttering she felt around her length wasn’t just aftershocks. Asami was preparing to come again, clutching the pipes with one hand and shoving the other between her legs. Korra grunted as the slippery strokes of Asami’s fingers teased the base of her cock. They only brushed her on accident as Asami rubbed her own clit in frantic circles, but it was still enough to send ripples along her length. She gritted her teeth, straining with fullness.

At last, Asami came around her in a trembling flood of wetness. Feeling the omega’s inner muscles clench and release was almost too overwhelming, but Korra held back. Her need demanded more. She wouldn’t— _couldn’t_  come again until she was buried all the way inside. She rode out Asami’s climax through sheer willpower, although she couldn’t manage to still her hips. They kept driving forward, seeking more and forcing movement even when Asami squeezed around her shaft.

“Asami...”

“Korra!” The shout of her name was followed by another gush of wetness, and she groaned as it washed over her thighs, splashing up onto her stomach.

“‘Sami, need you—need you to take…” She rubbed her full, aching knot against Asami’s entrance, watching in awe as it began to split the glistening pink ring of muscle. Thankfully, the extra slickness made its progress easier.

“Yes,” Asami panted. Her head dropped between her shoulders, and she raised herself higher. “Knot me. I want you to fill…Ah!”

Her needy whimpers of pleasure and pain became sharp gasps instead, but Korra didn’t need anything more. Asami’s muscles fought her on the next few pushes, but she forced her way in, keeping up steady pressure until they finally gave. The tight seal around her loosened, and twin cries tore from both their throats as her knot finally popped through. Asami’s inner walls clamped down around the other side, pulling her in and holding her in place, refusing to give her up again.

Korra stared down in amazement, astonished by what she could see. Their pelvises were perfectly aligned, and there wasn't even an inch between them.  _I’m in her. All the way in her. Tied. She’s so hot and slick and I can feel every swollen place..._

Even though she couldn’t thrust as brutally as before, being wrapped in pulsing satin was better. Asami’s muscles didn’t seem to know what to do with her. They clenched one moment and quivered the next, barely able to fit around her. Having her knot all the way in forced the rest of her shaft further. The head of her cock bumped against something warm and firm, searching for more room that just wasn’t there. Her entire body stiffened, and her knot gave a powerful throb as she realized what she had hit. She had completely bottomed out. When she came, her release wouldn’t have anywhere else to go but up.

The knowledge that she would be spilling into her mate's deepest places was too much. Her knot gave a heavy twitch just inside of Asami's entrance, and pressure raced up along her length, flying from her in a powerful stream. Fireworks exploded behind her eyes with each spurt, and she bent forward, arching over Asami's back and biting down on her shoulder. The new position gave her plenty of leverage. She tightened her hold on Asami's hips and throat, asserting her claim as she began the long process of emptying herself.

Coming with a proper tie was completely different than simply achieving release. Her climax was a long, shuddering thing that didn't seem to have an end. She lost count of the jets that shot from her cock, and each pull of Asami's inner walls coaxed out more. Somewhere in the middle of her own string of orgasms, Asami came around her again, and the rolling contractions drew out a flood. Her come filled Asami to bursting, pumping into her until she was swollen with it, but her knot kept it securely inside.

Unable to resist, she slid a hand along Asami's shivering stomach.  _There,_  she thought as another spike of pleasure raced along her shaft.  _You’re full now, mine._  Asami howled and clutched at her all over again, eagerly taking the next several spurts despite the fact that she was already more than full. The slight curve Korra could feel beneath her palm stretched even tighter.  _Full of my cock. My knot. My come._  Satisfied, she teased her fingers through Asami's slick folds, toying with the sensitive bud of her clit and feeling the place where they were joined.

The light touch ripped one more round of spasms from both of them. Korra finished with a grunt and jerk of her hips, pouring the last of her release into her mate.  _My mate?_   _Spirits, I want her to be, but she didn't bite me back. We're probably too young. I could get hurt or killed giving myself up to Zaheer. She has every reason not to... I have every reason not to…_ "I love you," she said anyway, burying her face in Asami's sweet-smelling hair and breathing in her scent.

"I love you, too," Asami said on a shaking breath.

Instead of the joy she should have felt, Korra's heart sank. She wished Asami didn't love her. That would only make it harder for her to fulfill her duty as the Avatar. Her legs began to buckle, and she wrapped her hands around Asami's waist, using the last of her strength and balance to ease them both to the ground. It wasn't easy to move while they were still tied together, but somehow, they managed. They collapsed on the floor in a heap, and Korra scattered a few kisses across the back of Asami's neck.

She looked at the bite she had left, and tears welled in her eyes as she wondered how long it would stay. Without a bite of her own to back it up, its presence would depend on Asami's feelings. She placed one last kiss over the bruised flesh before settling in. The least she could do was enjoy herself for the next half hour as she finished emptying. Her rut was over, but if her limited knowledge was accurate, there would be a few more rounds before her knot shrank enough for her to pull out.

They spent the next several minutes wrapped in a silence that was both painful and comforting. Whenever she felt pressure build up inside her, Korra snaked a hand around Asami's hip to roll the stiff point of her clit. It was a tight fit between the omega's stomach and the floor, but she managed. She painted circles with her fingertips each time her length rippled with another load of come, and most of the time, Asami released with her. They were gentler, quieter climaxes, but Korra was proud of them anyway. Sometimes she allowed her lips to drag over the mark on Asami's shoulder. Selfishly, she wanted to leave some part of herself behind even though she knew she shouldn't. Couldn't.

At last, her cock softened enough to pull out. She withdrew as carefully as she could, but Asami still whimpered beneath her at the loss. Instinctively, she helped flip Asami onto her back, cupping a hand between her trembling thighs. She knew some overflow was inevitable, but she wanted to keep as much of herself inside as possible.

"Should have put down towels," Asami mumbled, blinking slowly as if trying to stave off sleep.

Korra sighed and flopped down, resting her head on Asami's chest. The steady thud of her lover's heartbeat against her ear coaxed her into closing her eyes. "We didn't have much time to prepare. It was now or never."

The words hung between them, but eventually, Asami spoke again. "I've never done that before," she admitted in a halting voice. "Let an alpha knot me, I mean."

That confession made her brighten a little. "So... why me?" she asked, smiling without opening her eyes.

"You know why."

"Asami, I can't promise—"

"I know." Soft lips grazed her temple, and she felt Asami let out a long, slow breath beside her cheek. "I know, Korra. But I can't stop loving you just because I might get hurt. My feelings are what they are."

Korra shifted into a more comfortable position, running her hand in circles over Asami's soft abdomen. She figured they could steal at least another five minutes of peace before they had to clean up and rejoin the others.  _Before I have to do my job and leave her behind. And even if I survive this time, it won't end. I'm the Avatar. I'm going to be in this situation over and over again. With Mako, I thought I could handle it, but with her... she makes me crazy. I feel too much. I can't bear to lose her, or to watch her lose me._

* * *

[ ](http://acrobaticrabbit.deviantart.com/art/Korrasami-Omegaverse-continued-554249274)


	16. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BEFORE YOU ALL KILL ME: Yes, Asami is pregnant. Yes, Omega's Gambit will have a sequel that takes place during the events of Book 4. Give me a few weeks to wrap up some other projects, and I'll get started on it. ^__^
> 
> Also, I titled this story "Omega's Gambit" because Asami took a big risk. She confessed her love and committed herself to Korra despite knowing that it might require enormous sacrifice, and despite the fact that Korra couldn't promise anything back. She did it because of what she hoped to gain in the end. Taking a large risk in hopes of a bigger reward is the definition of the word 'Gambit'.

_Whipping coils of wind lash her cheeks, her eyes, her nose. She struggles to move, to surge forward, but her muscles won't respond. She's frozen. Limp. Helpless. She can't even lift her head on her own. It's trapped in a soundless, silent, screaming place, and the only thing she can see is Zaheer's blank face._

_Her burning lungs seize up, trying and failing to gasp in air._ 'Breathe. I can't breathe—'  _But all the breath in her lungs rushes out, leaving her so empty it hurts. She can't cry, can't make a sound._

_Somewhere deep beneath layers of anger and fear, some calm part of her realizes she is going to die. The power and connection of the Avatar State is flickering out, threatening to vanish and leave her body a hollow shell. She's going to die, the Avatar Cycle will end, and Asami will be left alone, just as she feared._

'Asami!'

_Somehow, the swimming vision of Asami floating before her is a thousand times more frightening and painful than her visions of Amon, Unalaq, and Vaatu combined. The woman she loves, and the woman she's failed._

'Asami. I'm so sorry. I'm so...'

"There you go. All fixed up for a formal Avatar appearance."

Korra blinked the blurriness from her eyes, trying to get a handle on the suddenly shifting room without being obvious. As flashbacks went, this one hadn't been particularly bad. She was almost growing used to jolting in and out of her own nightmares, her own body.  _If it's even my own body anymore. At least I didn't fall out of the stupid chair this time._

A soft palm rested on her shoulder, but she didn't even react to the familiar, comforting weight of Asami's touch. Her eyes remained downcast, and she couldn't find the will to say anything.

"Here, Korra. Take a look?"

She flicked her gaze up just enough to see the mirror Asami's other hand was holding in front of her, but she barely glanced at her own reflection. The face in the mirror wasn't hers. It belonged to someone else. Someone who should have died on that mountaintop. Someone who had died on that mountaintop, even though her body hadn't gotten the message.

"It's great," she mumbled when she realized Asami was still expecting an answer. "Thanks."

Asami set the mirror aside, stepping out from behind her chair and kneeling on the floor in front of her. Korra couldn't avoid looking at her, and even though she felt empty inside, the brush of Asami's fingertips against her arm made her heart clench.  _Her face... staring at me when I was about to die... when I should have died..._

"You know, nobody expects you to bounce back right away. It's only been two weeks. You need time to heal."

The warmth of Asami's hand wrapped around her lifeless fingers, but Korra couldn't find the strength to pull away. She remained silent, allowing the contact.  _You shouldn't be touching me. You shouldn't still care about me after everything that's happened. After I used you, left you, and almost died. You shouldn't—_

"I want you to know that I'm here for you if you ever want to talk or anything. But let's just try to enjoy this today. For Jinora."

The strength pouring through Asami's grip and into her was enough, barely, to help her force back the awful thoughts. "You're right." She took a deep breath, straightening her shoulders with what felt like the very last of her energy. "Okay, let's go."

_Anywhere, anything has to be better than here._

* * *

_She runs, pushing past the airbenders in her way, skidding over the dirt as she sprints toward the dark figure falling from the sky. She can't make out many details, but she fixes on its shape: a hurtling body with a length of chain lashing out from its arm. A flash of glowing white light confirms who the body belongs to, but she already knows. She would have known no matter what._

"Korra!"

_Her scream is soundless. Useless. Korra continues falling, pulling Zaheer behind her, and there's nothing she can do. Nothing, nothing, nothing..._

_The collision with the ground sends up a small cloud of dust, but not enough to blur the impact. Korra's body bounces, then crumples, and her stomach gives a sickening lurch. There is no movement. Korra makes no attempt to get up._   _She remains utterly still, and so does Asami, too overwhelmed to even continue running._

'Oh Spirits. She's dead. My mate-' _The mark on her shoulder throbs with hurt. The sharp pain in her chest is worse. It's a literal break, a crack she can feel all the way to her very foundation._

_She finally wills her legs to work, but when she tries to run, a hand on her shoulder holds her back. Mako is there, preventing her from moving. She whips around to snarl at him, but he only nods his head gently in the direction of Korra's body. Tonraq is there. Tonraq, Korra's father, the only other person Asami might hesitantly admit has more of a claim to this moment than she does._

_In the end, no matter how much her heart aches, she can't steal this from him. She imagines shoving Tonraq away and taking her alpha into her arms, but she remembers that she chose not to bite Korra back. This is the reason why. This exact situation. She has never regretted her choice more. If these are Korra's last moments, the thought of losing them to someone else, anyone else, is unbearable..._

Asami slid the hairpin from between her lips, watching it sink into the glossy strands of Korra's hair. The bun she had made was perfect. There wasn't a single hair out of place. It was a little thing, doing Korra's hair, but it was still enough to make her smile. "There you go. All fixed up for a formal Avatar appearance."

Korra remained silent. She continued gazing off into space, and Asami's smile almost wavered.  _It's been like this for the past two weeks. She just doesn't respond. Not to me, not to anyone._  She reached out for Korra's shoulder, but pulled back at the last moment. Instead, she cupped her palm over her abdomen and closed her eyes, drawing in a slow breath.  _Soon. We'll tell her soon. When she doesn't look like she's on the verge of crying every minute of every day._

When the silence continued stretching out, Asami gathered her courage and tried again. She managed to pick up the mirror sitting on the table beside her with one hand and squeezed Korra's shoulder with the other. She tried to keep her touch soft, but Korra flinched anyway. The strength she was used to feeling in her alpha's broad shoulders had disappeared, and all that remained was a slumped sort of defeat.

"Here, Korra. Take a look?"

The seconds that ticked between her question and Korra's answer seemed to last an eternity. She waited, barely breathing, unsure whether she had pushed too far. Sometimes it hurt to look at Korra's face, to see the grief lines etched there. Perhaps Korra wasn't ready to deal with that yet. Maybe Korra hated seeing herself dressed up and smoothed out like she hadn't almost died. Like they both hadn't almost lost everything.

Finally, after what felt like forever, Korra spoke. Her voice was cracked, faltering, but understandable. "It's great. Thanks."

Asami set the mirror aside.  _I guess right now, that's the best answer I can hope for._ She stepped out from behind the wheelchair and knelt on the floor, looking up into Korra's eyes. They weren't even focused on her. Korra was somewhere else, somewhere she couldn't quite reach. "You know, nobody expects you to bounce back right away. It's only been two weeks. You need time to heal."

When Korra's weary gaze flicked down to meet hers, Asami laced their fingers together. "I want you to know that I'm here for you," she said, letting their joined hands rest on top of Korra's thigh. "If you ever want to talk, or... anything. But let's just try to enjoy this today. For Jinora."

She felt guilty for putting yet another obligation on her already-exhausted lover, but she didn't have much of a choice. Soon, everyone else would arrive, and they were all expecting the Avatar. The strong alpha. The hero. Not Korra as she was now, a silent, broken girl in a wheelchair. Despite the assurances she had given, Asami knew the public would quickly sour of Korra's condition if they didn't see what they anticipated: a resilient Avatar who was already recovering from her ordeal. Korra's friends would understand. The world might not.

Just when she was about to give in and go tell Tenzin that Korra wasn't well enough to leave the room, Korra gave a small dip of her head. "You're right." She straightened her shoulders one more time, and Asami had to blink away the sting in her eyes. "Okay, let's go."


End file.
